[Use of psychoactive drugs and family dysfunction]. / Consumo de psicofármacos y disfunción familiar.

OBJECTIVE: To find out the relationship between the use of psychoactive drugs in women and the results of the APGAR and stressful life events (SLE) questionnaires. DESIGN: Cross-sectional, descriptive study. SETTING: General Fanjul Health Centre in Area 7 of the Community of Madrid. PARTICIPANTS: All the women between 25-65 years who were seen in Primary Care clinics in one week in March, 2005. METHOD: Validated surveys validated of family dysfunction (Apgar) and stressful life events (additive scale of evaluation of social readjustment) were carried on women between 25-65 years who took psychoactive drugs. RESULTS: Of the 625 women who were seen in the clinics, 121 (19.36%), with a mean age of 46.8+/-12.7 years, were interviewed. Of these, 90% were Spanish, 55.4% were married, 67% had children, 3.3% had not received schooling, 75.2% had a primary school education, 21.5% with university studies, and 57.9% work outside the home. Antidepressants were used by 24% of the women, with 30.6% taking benzodiazepines. The use of benzodiazepines increases with the age (p<0.001). On having look at the relationship between the use of benzodiazepines or antidepressants and the existence of major family dysfunction or major stressful life events (SLE) we verify that statistically significant differences do not exist. CONCLUSIONS: Although it was intuitively possible to believe that SLE and family dysfunction lead to a higher use of psychoactive drugs, we could not find a statistically significant relationship. We have shown that there is a higher use of benzodiazepines in older women.

Consumo de psicofármacos y disfunción familiar / Use of psychoactive drugs and family dysfunction

ObjetivoConocer la relación entre el consumo de psicofármacos en mujeres y los resultados de los test Apgar y acontecimientos vitales estresantes (AVE).DiseñoEstudio descriptivo transversal.EmplazamientoCentro de Salud General Fanjul (Área 7 de la Comunidad de Madrid).ParticipantesTodas las mujeres de entre 25–65 años de edad que acuden a las consultas de atención primaria durante una semana del mes de marzo de 2005.Mediciones principalesEncuestas validadas de disfunción familiar (Apgar) y acontecimientos vitales estresantes (escala aditiva de evaluación de reajuste social).ResultadosAcudieron 625 mujeres, de las que se entrevistó a 121 (19,36%), con una media de edad de 46,8±12,7 años. El 90% son españolas. El 55,4% están casadas, el 67% tiene hijos, el 3,3% no tiene estudios y el 75,2% ha cursado estudios primarios y el 21,5%, estudios universitarios. Trabaja fuera de casa el 57,9%. Los antidepresivos son utilizados por el 24% de las mujeres y las benzodiacepinas, por un 30,6%. El consumo de benzodiacepinas aumenta con la edad (p<0,001). Al relacionar el consumo de benzodiacepinas o antidepresivos y la existencia de mayor disfuncionalidad familiar o AVE, no se observan diferencias estadísticamente significativas.ConclusionesAunque de manera intuitiva se podría pensar que los AVE y la disfunción familiar determinan un mayor consumo de psicofármacos, no hemos podido encontrar una relación estadísticamente significativa. Se detecta un mayor consumo de benzodiacepinas a mayor edad(AU)

ObjectiveTo find out the relationship between the use of psychoactive drugs in women and the results of the APGAR and stressful life events (SLE) questionnaires.DesignCross-sectional, descriptive study.SettingGeneral Fanjul Health Centre in Area 7 of the Community of Madrid.ParticipantsAll the women between 25–65 years who were seen in Primary Care clinics in one week in March, 2005.MethodValidated surveys validated of family dysfunction (Apgar) and stressful life events (additive scale of evaluation of social readjustment) were carried on women between 25–65 years who took psychoactive drugs.ResultsOf the 625 women who were seen in the clinics, 121 (19.36%), with a mean age of 46.8±12.7 years, were interviewed. Of these, 90% were Spanish, 55.4% were married, 67% had children, 3.3% had not received schooling, 75.2% had a primary school education, 21.5% with university studies, and 57.9% work outside the home. Antidepressants were used by 24% of the women, with 30.6% taking benzodiazepines. The use of benzodiazepines increases with the age (p<0.001). On having look at the relationship between the use of benzodiazepines or antidepressants and the existence of major family dysfunction or major stressful life events (SLE) we verify that statistically significant differences do not exist.ConclusionsAlthough it was intuitively possible to believe that SLE and family dysfunction lead to a higher use of psychoactive drugs, we could not find a statistically significant relationship. We have shown that there is a higher use of benzodiazepines in older women(AU)