Abstract
Background: Most descriptive pharmacoepidemiological reports are from studies of older people, and little is known about medication use by younger adults.
Aims: The aim of the present study was to examine the prevalence of medication usage in the previous 2 weeks among young adults.
Methods: Detailed information was collected on medications taken by 26-year-old participants in the longstanding Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study.
Results At age 26, 980 (96.2%) of the surviving cohort participated; medication data were available for 978 individuals, of whom 78.1% had taken one or more prescribed or over-the-counter medications. Medication use was higher among females. The most prevalent drug categories were analgesics (taken by 22.8% of the sample), hormonal contraceptives (21.9%; 44.7% of females), nutrient supplements (17.6%) and anti-asthma drugs (11.1%).
Conclusions: The prevalence and pattern of medication use among younger adults differ from those reported for older age groups. Asthma appears to be the most prevalent chronic medical condition requiring pharmacological intervention (and for which medical care has been sought) among younger adults. The low rates of use of antidepressants and anxiolytics suggest that common psychiatric disorders may currently go unrecognized or untreated among young adults, and the high prevalence of 'third generation' oral contraceptive use among females is of particular concern.