Medication use in a rural gynecologic population: prescription, over-the-counter, and herbal medicines.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to document current medication use by a rural female population.


METHODS
Over a 42-month period, nonpregnant women were interviewed about medication use. When applicable, interviews on subsequent visits provided a longitudinal study of medication usage and discontinuation, and data were analyzed according to the number of drugs used, age, and payment status.


RESULTS
Five hundred sixty-seven participants had 776 interviews. Ninety-two percent of the participants took prescription medications, 96.5% of the participants self-medicated with over-the-counter medications, and 59.1% of the participants used herbal medications. Usage of prescription medications increased with age and, in some instances, varied with payment status. A database query for potential interacting drugs found several instances of coadministration, including herbal medicines that were not prescribed by the physician.


CONCLUSIONS
Medication usage (all types) by rural women is substantial, and the frequency of usage varies on the basis of both age and payment status. Patients should also be queried concerning medications that are not prescribed by the physician for an assessment of potential drug interactions.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Consortium on Reproductive and Developmental Health, Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center of West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA.
Douglas D
DD
Glover
Blanche F
BF
Rybeck
Timothy S
TS
Tracy
D000328:Adult; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004358:Drug Therapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004363:Drug Utilization; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D004366:Nonprescription Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D028321:Plant Preparations / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012651:Self Medication / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States
D004366:Nonprescription Drugs; D028321:Plant Preparations