Predictors of medication use in the Roma population in Spain: a population-based national study

• Published in: Public health (London) Vol. 129; no. 5; pp. 453 - 459
• Main Authors: Martín-Pérez, M, Hernández Barrera, V, López de Andrés, A, Jiménez-Trujillo, I, Jiménez-García, R, Carrasco-Garrido, P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Ltd 01.05.2015
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Adults; Attitude to Health - ethnology; Chronic Disease; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diseases; Female; Health survey; Health Surveys; Humans; Infectious Disease; Internal Medicine; Male; Medication use; Medicine; Middle Aged; Population; Predictors; Prescription Drugs - therapeutic use; Prevalence; Risk Factors; Roma; Roma - psychology; Roma - statistics & numerical data; Roma population; Self Medication - statistics & numerical data; Self-medication; Sex Distribution; Spain; Spain - epidemiology; Young Adult; Spain; Roma population; Medication use; Self-medication; Health survey; Predictors
• ISSN: 0033-3506; 1476-5616
• DOI: 10.1016/j.puhe.2015.01.028

Abstract Objectives To describe the prevalence of prescribed and self-medicated use of medication in the Spanish Roma population, and identify the associated factors. Study design Descriptive cross-sectional study. Methods Data from the first National Health Survey conducted on the Roma population in Spain were used. The sample comprised 1000 Spanish Roma adults of both sexes aged ≥16 years. Answers (yes/no) to the question, ‘In the last two weeks have you taken the following medicines [in reference to a list of medicines that might be used by the population] and were they prescribed for you by a doctor?’ were used to ascertain ‘medication use’. ‘Self-medication’ referred to use of these medicines without medical prescription. Using multivariate logistic regression models, odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to identify associated factors. Results The overall prevalence of medication use in the Roma population for both sexes was 69.1%, and 38.7% was self-medicated. Females reported higher use of medication than males (75.1% vs 62.3%); however, self-medication was higher among males. Analgesics and antipyretics were used most often (35.8%). Among males, the variables that were independently and significantly associated with a higher probability of medication use were: age; negative perception of health; presence of chronic disease (OR 2.81; 95% CI 1.67–4.73); and medical visits (OR 4.51; 95% CI 2.54–8.01). The variables were the same among females, except for age. Conclusion A high percentage of the Spanish Roma population use medication, and a significant proportion of them self-medicate. The presence of chronic diseases, a negative perception of health and medical consultations were associated with increased use of medication in the study population.