Are there gender differences in the prescribing of hypnotic medications for insomnia?

• Published in: Human psychopharmacology 2003-01, Vol.18 (1), p.69-73
• Main Authors: Brownlee, K., Devins, G. M., Flanigan, M., Fleming, J. A. E., Morehouse, R., Moscovitch, A., Plamondon, J., Reinish, L., Shapiro, C. M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: antidepressants; antihistamines; Chi-Square Distribution; Drug Prescriptions; Female; gender; Health Surveys; Humans; Hypnotics and Sedatives - therapeutic use; insomnia; Male; Sex Factors; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders - drug therapy; Surveys and Questionnaires
• ISSN: 0885-6222; 1099-1077
• DOI: 10.1002/hup.452

Gender differences in the prescribing patterns of general classes of medications for insomnia were examined. The classes of medications included: zopiclone, antidepressants, benzodiazepines, antihistamines and no medication. The sample comprised a sub‐set of respondents from 2620 questionnaires of the Canadian Multicentre Sleep Database. Respondents for this database were contacted through physicians, announcements in the media and local pharmacies. The results indicated that gender alone was not associated with differential prescribing for insomnia, nor was gender associated with patterns of medication use such as frequency of taking medication, length of use, taking more or less medication than prescribed or attempts to stop taking medication. Demographic factors were included in the analysis and age and marital status were associated with different prescribing patterns for men and women with insomnia. It is possible that physicians refer to stereotypic expectations when prescribing hypnotics. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.