The pain management and knowledge of nonsteroidical anti-inflamatory drugs (naids) side effects link to gender

Abstract

Introduction: Pain is a common medical problem, and relief of pain is an important therapeutic goal. Although mild and moderate pain by outpatients is most commonly treated with over-the-counter drugs. Over the past decade, there have been growing concerns about the harm — abuse, as well as serious injury and death — caused by the use of over-the-counter painkillers. These concerns have emerged in parallel with the evolving understanding of the importance of pain management in medical care. It’s important to maintain the balance between providing access to pain medications for those who need them, and on the other hand, managing the variety of risks posed by painkilling drugs. Especially nowadays when drug consumption between society has increased significantly. More and more people have been hospitalized because of these drugs side effects. This fact shows that society in Europe aren’t informed about over-the-counter painkillers harmful influence to their health.

The aim of this study is to evaluate factors influencing non prescription drugs against mildmoderate pain choice.

Objectives: • To determine and compare the most frequent pain type in men and women groups; • To compare the frequency of NAID’s used in pain management in different gender groups; • To evaluate the Lihtuanian citizens knowledge about NAIDs side effects and compare it in gender groups.

Materials and methods: The online questionnaire form was applied for two biggest Lithuania’s cities - Vilnius and Kaunas – citizens. Total 99 respondents in the age of 19-80 years were interviewed. According the gender respondents distributed equally by 51 (51.1%) males and 48 (49.9%) females. IBM SPSS Statistics 19.0 version. For categorical data analysis χ2 and Fisher’s exact tests were performed. P <0.05 was evaluated as statistically significant.

Discussion results: Most women were tend to suffer from pain 1 time per month (41.2%) and the most of men (39.6%) indicated suffering from pain rare than 1 time pro six months, p =0.003. The women were more likely to mark gastric ulcers (68.9%), renal insufficiency (68.4%) as the NAID’s side effect than men (31.1 % and 31.6 5 respectively) The mostly women uses NDAIS for menstrual (66.7%), headache (74.5%), and muscle pain (17.7), as the men uses it for back pain (43.8%) and headache (35.1%), P<0.05. Women (66.7 % ) were more likely to choose ibuprofen as the man (41.7%), p<0.05. In other NAIDS the consumption choice does not statistically differ.

Conclusion: • The most frequent pain treated with NAIDS were menustrual and headache in women group, and in men group back pain and headache. • Women are tend to use NAIDs against pain 1 time pro month the most of male are tend to use it rare as 1 time pro 6 months. • Both women and men groups showed lack of information about NAIDS side effects (with women showing more knowledge in gastric ulcer and renal insufficiency as side effect).

Key Words: NAID, men – women pain, aspirin, pain management.