Using Analgesics as Tools: Young Women's Treatment for Headache

Abstract

In this study, the authors explore the context surrounding young women's use of analgesics to deal with headache. In-depth interviews were conducted with 20 young women between the ages of 16 and 20 in Copenhagen, Denmark. Interviews focused on the young women's experiences with medications within the context of their everyday lives. The central elements in the participants' accounts emerged via a phenomenological approach. Analysis revealed that participants attributed headache to stressful conditions in their everyday lives. Analgesic use in treating headache was found to serve highly valued performance- and participation-related functions. Accordingly, analgesics were employed as tools to reach these aims. The threshold for turning to analgesics varied across situations and among participants. Some relied heavily on analgesics, whereas others had success with non-medical strategies. This study's findings demonstrate a need for health education programs aimed at empowering young women to better manage headaches as well as everyday stress.

Parental symptoms and children’s use of medicine for headache: data reported by parents from five Nordic countries

“…The study by Maiman et al (1986) suggested that mother's health-related perceptions and habits are important for children's medicine use. A qualitative interview study by Hansen et al (2008) shows that mothers teach children how to swallow and use medicines. The qualitative study by Allotey et al (2004) suggests that children's medicine use is a response to processes and perceptions within the family.…”

“…The socialization pathway underlines the importance of transmission of parents' perceptions, knowledge and habits to their children. This transmission can be direct such as the supply of medicines (Holstein et al 2008a, b), indirect through verbal and non-verbal learning (Hansen et al 2008) or communication of norms, attitudes and habits (Maiman et al 1986;Hatchette et al 2006) and may even reflect a general pattern of strategies for managing pain (Vuckovic 1999). The whole idea that school-age children are socialized into using medicines was proposed by Davidson in 1982 (referenced by Bush andIannotti 1992).…”

“…Use of medicines for headache may be an appropriate response to headache; however, in some instances, medicines are taken without presence of headache (Hansen et al 2008;Andersen et al 2009). It is important to know which factors influence young people's medicine use in order to establish an appropriate use of medicines in all age groups as early medicine use may track into adulthood (Andersen et al 2009).…”

Stress and use of over-the-counter analgesics: prevalence and association among Danish 25 to 44-year-olds from 1994 to 2005

“…Although the primary reason for using analgesics is headache symptoms (Abbott and Fraser 1998;Antonov and Isacson 1998), not all analgesic use can be explained by the prevalence of symptoms (Abbott and Fraser 1998;Andersen et al 2009;Hansen et al 2008;Holstein et al 2009). Researchers have suggested that some medicine use may be behavior reflecting a general coping strategy to overcome daily stressors over and above therapeutic indications (Due et al 2007;Hansen et al 2008;Stasio et al 2008).…”

“…Researchers have suggested that some medicine use may be behavior reflecting a general coping strategy to overcome daily stressors over and above therapeutic indications (Due et al 2007;Hansen et al 2008;Stasio et al 2008).…”