Gender and age related differences in the use of medicines for chronic diseases among undocumented migrants

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to evaluate gender-related differences in the use of drugs for chronic diseases in undocumented migrants. Design/methodology/approach The authors analyzed the databases of two charitable organizations providing medical help and medicines to undocumented migrants....

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Published in:International journal of migration, health and social care health and social care, 2018-09, Vol.14 (3), p.221-229
Main Authors: Fiorini, Gianfrancesco, Cerri, Cesare, Rigamonti, Antonello E, Bini, Silvia, Marazzi, Nicoletta, Sartorio, Alessandro, Cella, Silvano G
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Age differences
Age distribution
Age groups
Antidiabetics
Chronic illnesses
Chronic respiratory diseases
Classification
Diabetes
Disease
Drugs
Gender differences
Health care
Health planning
Medicine
Mental health
Migrants
Minority & ethnic groups
Noncitizens
Patients
Population
Psychotropic drugs
Public health
Undocumented immigrants
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Summary:Purpose The purpose of this paper is to evaluate gender-related differences in the use of drugs for chronic diseases in undocumented migrants. Design/methodology/approach The authors analyzed the databases of two charitable organizations providing medical help and medicines to undocumented migrants. Data were available for 9,822 patients in the period 2014–2016. The authors grouped medicines according to the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) classification. We considered the ATC group as an indicator of a group of diseases. Findings Both males and females needed medicines for chronic diseases in a comparable manner. When we analyzed the age distribution, The authors noticed that males showed a tendency to begin to be affected at an earlier age; however, this cumulative difference was not statistically significant. But when we looked at six groups of drugs separately (cardiovascular, respiratory, anti-thrombotic, neurologic, psychiatric, anti-diabetic), the authors found that females always needed drugs for chronic diseases at a later age, always with a significant difference (p
ISSN:1747-9894
2042-8650
DOI:10.1108/IJMHSC-11-2017-0047