Generic Aspirin pain medication pills are shown in the pharmacy of the J.W.C.H. safety-net clinic in the center of skid row in downtown Los Angeles, July 30, 2007.
Generic Aspirin pain medication pills are shown in the pharmacy of the J.W.C.H. safety-net clinic in the center of skid row in downtown Los Angeles, July 30, 2007. Reuters/Stringer

Drug addiction has been linked to overuse of prescribed opioid painkillers in the past. Now a new study conducted by a team of researchers at the McMaster University suggests that women are more likely to get addicted to prescribed painkillers than men.

According to the research team, prescribed painkillers are the starting point for drug addiction for more than 50 percent of the female methadone clinic patients. The researchers further say that their study findings show why women need different treatment from men with drug addiction.

The study involved 503 patients who attended Ontario methadone clinic survey. Of all the patients, 52 percent of the women admitted doctor-prescribed painkiller as their first encounter with opioid, while only 38 percent of the men reported so.

The researchers also found that compared to men, women had more childcare responsibilities, a history of psychiatric illness and other physical and psychological problems related to health.

"We definitely found an overrepresentation of women," said senior author Dr. Zena Samaan, reported CBC Hamilton. "Partially, I think it's the availability of opioid prescriptions and sociological theories also say women are more likely to seek help from a doctor than men."

The researchers further say that although the intravenous drug use among methadone patients has reduced by 60 percent since 1990s, the number of patients addicted to doctor-presribed opioid painkillers have increased by almost 30 percent.

Samaan says that considering the statistics, doctors should be mindful while prescribing opioid painkillers. In addition, a comprehensive follow-up system must be in place to check the drug consumption against the prescription.

According to WHO, deaths due to drug overdose are the third leading cause of accidental death in Ontario. Apart from Canada, prescription opioid addiction has been a matter of concern for countries around the globe, including the US.

The complete details of the study have been published in the journal Biology of Sex Differences.

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