[Use of drugs by women in the federal Saxony district based on survey data].

This study examines sex-specific differences in drug use of the Saxon population and compares them with relevant studies in the old Federal States. This study is based on data of the Drug Survey East (1992) which were secondary analyzed for Saxony. The sample population was representative for Saxon inhabitants aged 18-79 years and encompassed 765 participants interviewed by physicians about their drug use in the last 7 days. The drug exposure in women younger than 60 years is significantly higher than in men of the same age group. The difference can only partially be explained by the intake of oral contraceptives. Compared with men women take a higher number of different drugs and take more often self-acquired drugs in addition to the drugs prescribed by physicians. A comparison Saxony-Bremen shows that the intake of hormonal contraceptives, antihypertensives and betablockers in Saxon women is much higher than in women in the old Federal States, thyroid therapeutics, however, are used less often. Possible reasons for sex-specific and regional particularities in drug use are discussed.