title: [Environmental and genetic factors associated with psychoactive medication use in adult females. A population-based twin study].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Our objective is to determine the prevalence and factors associated to psychotropic medication consumption in a sample of adult females. Additionally, this study seeks to analyze the relative contribution of environmental and genetic factors to psychoactive medication use.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sample consists of a population-based cohort comprising 437 pairs of female twins born between 1940 and 1966. Information is collected through individual interviews, and it includes employment status, educational level, partner status, menopause, presence of mental disorders and psychoactive medication use. Logistic regression models are applied. The relative contribution of genetic and environmental factors to interindividual variation is analyzed through the classical twin design.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the past month, 34.0% of the women interviewed had consumed psychoactive medication. Consumption increases with age, in women out of the labor market, menopausal, and reporting a history of mental disorders. When controlling for age, all variables lost significance, except the presence of mental health problems. Heritability estimates for psychoactive medication use was 52%. This estimate is similar (46%) for consumption in the two categories studied.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a high prevalence of psychoactive medication use in this sample. This consumption is mainly associated with age and presence of mental disorders. About half of the interindividual variation in psychotropic medication use is attributable to genetic factors, while the rest of the variance would be due to environmental factors unique to each individual.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Salud Mental de Adultos de San Andrés Murcia, Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rosagro Escámez
authors.forename: Francisca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: González-Javier
authors.forename: Juan R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Ordoñana
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D059647:Gene-Environment Interaction; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D011619:Psychotropic Drugs