Drug consumption on the rise in Switzerland
Mr. and Mrs. Swiss are increasingly turning to medication. This was the result of the Swiss Health Survey 2022. Painkillers in particular are being consumed more frequently than 30 years ago.
In 2022, more than half of the population (55%) took a drug over a period of seven days. Consumption has been rising steadily for 30 years. The use of painkillers in particular has risen from 12% in 1992 to 26% in 2022. A quarter of the population suffered from severe physical complaints in the four weeks prior to the survey, and a third had sleep disorders. These are the results of the newly published standard tables for the "Swiss Health Survey" from the Federal Statistical Office (FSO).
The detailed results of the Swiss Health Survey are made available in the form of standard tables. 110 tables provide information on topics relating to health behavior, health status and the use of healthcare services by the Swiss resident population aged 15 and over. This press release presents various examples of the diverse results obtained from the health survey.
Consumption of medication continues to rise
55% of the population had taken a medication in the last seven days before the survey in 2022. Medication consumption has risen continuously over the entire observation period; in 1992 the proportion was 38% and in 2017 it was 50%. Women (59%) take medication more frequently than men (51%). The proportion increases with age and reaches 86% for people aged 75 and over. 26% of the population took a painkiller and 9% a psychotropic drug such as antidepressants, tranquillizers or sleeping pills. The proportion of psychotropic drugs has remained stable since 2007, whereas the proportion of painkillers has risen over time (1992: 12%; 2007: 20%).
Every third person suffers from sleep disorders
Sleep is a fundamental biological function and necessary for a person's well-being. Sleep problems are widespread. One third of the population suffers from sleep disorders: 7% are affected by pathological disorders and 26% by moderate disorders. Sleep disorders occur differently in the population: they are more common in women (37%) than in men (29%). Sleep disorders also increase with advancing age. Compared to 1997 (28%) but also 2017 (29%), the prevalence of sleep disorders increased in 2022 (33%).
General weakness and back pain widespread
The vast majority of the population rated their health (85%) as good or very good in 2022. Nevertheless, 25% suffered from severe physical complaints in the last four weeks before the survey. These complaints are partly due to psychosocial characteristics of living conditions such as stress. General weakness (46%) and back or low back pain (45%) are the most common physical complaints. Women most frequently report general weakness (54%), while back pain is the most common complaint among men (40%). These physical complaints have increased since 1992.
About 40% are short-sighted
The proportion of people who wear glasses or contact lenses has risen from 59% in 1992 to 68% in 2022. This increase is partly due to an increase in short-sightedness over the last 30 years (from 32% to 43%). At the same time, vision decreases with age and people need a visual aid to read. In the 55+ age groups, over 85% of people use a visual aid, the majority of them for reading.
Source: FSO
