By IANS,
Sydney : The most commonly prescribed medication for Australian women is antidepressants, according to a study.
The study, by universities of Queensland and Newcastle, is the latest to emerge from a longitudinal study on women’s health.
Julie Byles, professor at Quensland, who co-authored the study, said the research indicated the prevalence of antidepressant use increased with age.
“Eight percent of younger women and 14 percent of mid-age women used antidepressants during the surveyed period,” Byles said. “This figure jumps to 18 percent in older women.”
“However, the use of antidepressants is not a clear indicator of the extent of depression among women. For example, among young women who reported a diagnosis of depression, 40 percent had not used prescribed antidepressant medication.”
Older women, in particular, mentioned the impact of costs of medication on their ability to manage their incomes, said a Queensland release.
There were few differences in patterns of claims between women living in urban, rural and remote areas.