Are men under-treated and women over-treated with antidepressants? Findings from a cross-sectional survey in Sweden.

To examine gender differences in self-reported depression and prescribed antidepressants (ADs). The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale was used to assess depression, and information on prescribed ADs was obtained from the Swedish Prescribed Drug Register. Depression was reported by 11.

Women and men report different behaviours in, and reasons for medication non-adherence: a nationwide Swedish survey.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to analyse gender differences in self-reported non-adherence (NA) to prescribed medication in the Swedish general population. We aimed to study unintentional and intentional NA as well as the reasons given for NA.

Methods: A questionnaire was mailed to a cross-sectional, random, national sample of people aged 18-84 years in Sweden (n=7985).

Self-reported skin diseases, quality of life and medication use: a nationwide pharmaco-epidemiological survey in Sweden.

The aim of this study was to determine self-reported consumption of dermatological pharmaceuticals and quality of life (QoL), measured with Short Form 36, in relation to eczema, acne, psoriasis and other inflammatory skin conditions in the Swedish population. A questionnaire containing questions on the occurrence of skin diseases, health-related QoL and the use of pharmaceuticals was sent to a cross-sectional sample of the Swedish population, age range 18-84 years (n = 8,000). The response rate was 61%.

The influence of symptoms of anxiety and depression on medication nonadherence and its causes: a population based survey of prescription drug users in Sweden.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the associations between self-reported symptoms of anxiety and/or depression, nonadherent (NA) behaviors, and reasons for NA to medication regimens.

Methods: A population based cross-sectional study with questionnaire was performed in the general Swedish population. The participants were 2,802 prescription drug users aged 18-84 years.

Hand eczema and health-related quality of life; a comparison of EQ-5D and the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) in relation to the Hand Eczema Extent Score (HEES).

Background: Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is associated with the extent and severity of hand eczema. We still lack a consensus about which HRQoL instrument to use as the standard, and how to measure the extent and severity of hand eczema.

Objectives: To compare the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) with EQ-5D (a standardized instrument for use as a measure of health outcome), and to evaluate how the Hand Eczema Extent Score (HEES) relates to these instruments.

Gender differences of axis I and II comorbidity in subjects diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder as adults.

Objective: To investigate gender differences in psychiatric comorbidity patients diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as adults.

Methods: Interviews about current ADHD symptoms and psychiatric comorbidity on axis I and II (Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV axis I and axis II) were conducted in a clinical cohort of 168 patients (78 women, 90 men). Independent information on childhood and current symptoms was collected from parents, partners and patient files.

Self-reported lifetime prevalence of atopic dermatitis and co-morbidity with asthma and eczema in adulthood: a population-based cross-sectional survey.

Atopic dermatitis and its co-morbidity with asthma and allergy is well described in younger age groups. However, population-based studies on adults with atopic dermatitis in childhood are sparse. The aims of this study were to determine: (i) the prevalence of self-reported childhood atopic dermatitis in the population; and (ii) its association with present self-reported hand eczema, eczema, allergy, urticaria and asthma.

Quality of life, use of topical medications and socio-economic data in hand eczema: a Swedish nationwide survey.

Hand eczema is common and has an adverse impact on the lives of patients. There is a need for population-based surveys on the pharmacoepidemiological aspects, quality of life and impact of socioeconomic factors in hand eczema. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate these factors.

ADHD-related symptoms among adults in out-patient psychiatry and female prison inmates as compared with the general population.

Objective: To compare the prevalence of symptoms consistent with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and related problems in adults in the general population, out-patient psychiatry (where females are in majority), and female convicts.

Method: A questionnaire based on the DSM-IV criteria of ADHD, reported childhood symptoms, reading and spelling problems, difficulties and suffering, and general assessment of functioning (GAF) was distributed to samples of the general population, open care psychiatry, and female prison inmates. Completed questionnaires were received from 517/1000, 349/400, and 50/65 of the three samples, respectively.

Short-term cost and health consequences of duodenal levodopa infusion in advanced Parkinson's disease in Sweden: an exploratory study.

Levodopa is the cornerstone treatment for Parkinson's disease, but the short half-life of levodopa limits its usefulness in late stages of the disease. Duodenal levodopa infusion (DLI) allows more stable plasma levels and better motor symptom control. To explore the costs and health benefits of replacing conventional oral polypharmacy with DLI in patients with advanced Parkinson's disease, from a Swedish healthcare payer perspective.

Fluctuating functions related to quality of life in advanced Parkinson disease: effects of duodenal levodopa infusion.

Objective: To assess fluctuations in quality of life (QoL) and motor performance in patients with advanced Parkinson disease (PD) treated with continuous daytime duodenal levodopa/carbidopa infusion or conventional therapy.

Methods: Of 18 patients completing a 6-week trial (DIREQT), 12 were followed for up to 6 months and assessed using electronic diaries and the PD Questionnaire-39 (PDQ-39).

Results: During the trial and follow-up, major diurnal fluctuations were observed, especially for hyperkinesia, 'off' time, ability to walk and depression.

Nationwide survey of subjectively reported adverse drug reactions in Sweden.

Background: Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) and the safety of drugs continue to be widely discussed. However, information on the prevalence of subjectively experienced ADRs (SADRs) and their subsequent burden in the general population is largely lacking.

Objective: To analyze, from an epidemiologic perspective, SADRs with respect to occurrence and health status.

Mortality among persons with schizophrenia in Sweden: an epidemiological study.

The objective of the study was to analyse 10-year mortality among persons with schizophrenia from an epidemiological perspective. This cohort study included all persons with schizophrenia (n=255) living in the northern catchment area in Uppsala in 1991, and 1275 subjects from the national population register matched for sex, age and living area. The prevalence of schizophrenia was 0.

Using EQ-5D to derive general population-based utilities for the quality of life assessment of growth hormone deficiency in adults (QoL-AGHDA).

Objective: Disease-oriented quality of life (QoL) measures that are not preference-based lack legitimacy for direct use in cost-utility analyses. This has prompted the search for other methods for deriving utilities. The QoL Assessment of Growth Hormone Deficiency in Adults questionnaire (QoL-AGHDA) is a disease-oriented measure used to assess impairment in QoL in adults with growth hormone deficiency.

The impact of depression is unevenly distributed in the population.

Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of depression on quality of life in the general population by studying its effects on i) health-related quality of life (HRQoL), ii) health state utilities, and iii) the burden of disease in the population according to age, sex, marital status, education, economy and employment.

Method: Cross-sectional survey in the County of Uppsala, Sweden. A statistical sample of the general population aged 20-64 years (N=4506) was used.

Epidemiology, co-morbidity, and impact on health-related quality of life of self-reported headache and musculoskeletal pain--a gender perspective.

Background: Headache and musculo-skeletal pain are major public health problems. Substantial proportions of the general population report that they experience pain problems that affect their work, daily living and social life. Epidemiological studies have consistently shown that the prevalence of most pain conditions is higher in women than in men.

Paternal laboratory work and congenital malformations.

Animal studies indicate male-mediated teratogenicity for certain carcinogens/mutagens. Nevertheless, paternal occupational determinants of malformations in humans have been sparsely investigated. Data on male employees at Swedish universities from 1970 to 1989 were linked to the Medical Birth Register.

Self-reported dermatological problems and preferences for health: an epidemiological survey.

Patient preferences for health can be assessed and expressed in quantitative terms known as health state utilities. In this epidemiological study, we demonstrate the importance of dermatological problems for health state utilities. A cross-sectional survey including 5,404 individuals aged 20-84 years was conducted in the County of Uppland, Sweden.

A Swedish population-based study on the relationship between the SF-36 and health utilities to measure health in hypertension.

The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between a psychometric health-related quality-of-life instrument (the SF-36)-and two health utility measures [the time trade-off (TTO) and rating scale (RS) methods) among hypertensives in a general population. In the analyses were adjusted for comorbidity. The study was based on a postal questionnaire that was sent to a random sample of 8000 inhabitants aged 20-84 years (response rate 68%) in Uppsala County, Sweden, in 1995.

Dosage patterns of antipsychotic drugs for the treatment of schizophrenia in Swedish ambulatory clinical practice--a highly individualized therapy.

Objective: To analyse the dosage pattern of antipsychotic drugs for schizophrenia in ambulatory care in Sweden.

Method: The study was based on a nationwide consecutive weekly random sample of physicians during the period 1991-98 comprising 265,331 visits.

Results: In 515 visits (0.

Epidemiology of analgesic use: a gender perspective.

Background And Objective: Women consistently report significantly more frequent analgesic use in epidemiological studies. The aim of this study was to analyse the influence of medical and non-medical factors on the difference in use of analgesics between women and men from a population perspective.

Methods: Cross-sectional survey.

On the measurement of relative and absolute income-related health inequality.

In recent work on international comparisons of income-related inequalities in health, the concentration index has been used as a measure of health inequality. A drawback of this measure is that it is sensitive to whether it is estimated with respect to health or morbidity. An alternative would be to use the generalized concentration index that is based on absolute rather than relative health differences.

Self-reported dermatological problems and use of prescribed topical drugs correlate with decreased quality of life: an epidemiological survey.

Background: Skin problems are common in the population. Although a substantial fraction of the population suffers from skin conditions, we still have little information on how this affects the everyday life of the individuals concerned.

Objectives: To evaluate the impact of skin disease on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) measured with the Short Form-36 (SF-36), a multidimensional generic HRQOL instrument, from an epidemiological perspective.

Attitudes towards drugs--a survey in the general population.

Background: Studies have shown that many drugs have a lower effectiveness in clinical practice than would be expected from results reported in randomised controlled clinical trials. Many factors influence the use of drugs. Personal factors such as knowledge, attitudes, motivation, expectations are considered to be of particular consequence.