title: Stressful life events and social health factors in women using anxiolytics and antidepressants: an Italian observational study in community pharmacies.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In Italy, as in all of Europe, women differ from men in that they are somewhat more sensitive to the depressogenic effects of stressful life events related to their social networks and emotional sphere. Women are more likely than men to have experienced poverty, gender discrimination, and physical and sexual abuse.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to expand the knowledge about the occurrence of stressful life events in women exposed and not exposed to anxiolytics and antidepressants in a community pharmacy setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  Women attending 100 community pharmacies in the Italian Veneto region were surveyed by pharmacists with regard to a number of general features of their current pharmacologic treatment. Women independently completed a written self-assessment questionnaire that focused on stressful life events. Unconditional logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate the association between anxiolytics and antidepressants use and potential factors, including stressful life events.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study population comprised 11,357 women. One or more stressful life events occurred in 90% of the women treated with anxiolytics and/or antidepressants (users [n = 3848]) and in 74% of the women not treated with these drugs (nonusers [n = 7509]) (odds ratio = 3.19; 95% CI, 2.83-3.60). On average, the life events occurred during the previous 6 months and the women considered the influence of these events on their well-being to be severe. After the unconditional logistic regression analysis, the association between anxiolytics and/or antidepressants use remained positive for most of the stressful life events studied as well as for other factors: separation/divorce, living alone or with others (family or friends), unemployment, whether currently being seen by a psychologist/psychiatrist, and treatment with drugs for the alimentary tract and metabolism, cardiovascular system, or nervous system.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A significant association between stressful life events and anxiolytics and/or antidepressants use was observed. Further efforts are needed to increase our knowledge of the use of anxiolytics or antidepressants in relation to the occurrence of life events.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine and Public Health, Section of Clinical Pharmacology Unit, University of Verona, Verona, Italy. pdincau@sfm.univr.it
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: D'Incau
authors.forename: Corrado
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Barbui
authors.forename: Jacopo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tubini
authors.forename: Anita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Conforti
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003153:Community Health Services; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007558:Italy; D008016:Life Change Events; D016015:Logistic Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010594:Pharmacies / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011203:Poverty / Q000523:psychology; D011594:Psychometrics; D012307:Risk Factors; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016387:Women's Health
chemical_list: D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D000928:Antidepressive Agents