Aims
Understanding gender differences in medication use is important to ensure equitable and appropriate treatment in ageing populations. We examined gender differences in medication use among older Australians and assessed whether these patterns were consistent across two cohorts separated in time.
Methods
We analysed baseline data from two randomised-controlled trials of community-dwelling adults ≥70years without cardiovascular disease, dementia, or major disability: the Aspirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly (2010-2014) and the Statins in Reducing Events in the Elderly (2015-2023) trials. Reported medication use was compared within and across cohorts.
Results
Among 18,079 participants (10113 from 2010-2014; 7966 from 2015-2023; median age 74 vs 73 years; 52% vs 53% women), a greater proportion of women than men reported having hypertension, osteoarthritis, depression in both cohorts (all p<0.001). Women were more likely than men to report any medication use (85% vs 75% in 2010-2014; 88% vs 79% in 2015-2023) and polypharmacy (20% vs 11% in both cohorts; all p<0.001). In both cohorts, a greater proportion of women than men used medications across multiple therapeutic groups, including blood pressure-lowering, opioid and non-opioid analgesics, antidepressants, benzodiazepines, and bone disease therapies (all p<0.001). Gender differences were consistent in magnitude and direction across cohorts.
Conclusions
In two independent cohorts spanning more than a decade, older women reported greater morbidity and higher medication use than men. Although medication patterns broadly reflected reported disease burden, persistent differences across therapeutic groups and time may suggest additional influences beyond morbidity, including gender differences in healthcare engagement and prescribing practices.