Americans Will Spend Half Their Lives Taking Prescription Drugs, Study Finds

October 23rd, 2023

By John Patterson

Staff Writer for Wake Up World

In an eye-opening revelation, a recent study conducted by Jessica Ho, an associate professor of sociology and demography at Penn State, has shed light on a startling reality: Americans born in 2019 are projected to spend a substantial portion of their lives taking prescription drugs. This phenomenon, brought to light in the journal Demography, shows that prescription drug consumption has become a significant part of the American experience, surpassing even major life events such as marriage and education.

The Prescription Drug Predicament

Ho’s research findings unveiled a concerning statistic: American males can anticipate spending approximately 48% of their lives relying on prescription medications. The figure rises significantly to a staggering 60% for American females.

The years that people can expect to spend taking prescription drugs are now higher than they might spend in their first marriage, getting an education, or being in the labor force,” said Ho. “It’s important to recognize the central role that prescription drug use has taken on in our lives.

A Data-Driven Investigation

To reach these startling conclusions, Jessica Ho meticulously analyzed nationally representative surveys conducted by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) spanning from 1996 through 2019. These surveys, which collected data every five months from approximately 15,000 households annually, provided a robust dataset offering better recall than surveys conducted just once a year. Additionally, almost 70% of the survey respondents permitted verification of their prescriptions with their pharmacies, enhancing the accuracy of the findings.

Early Onset of Prescription Drug Use

The research indicated that the majority of American men start taking prescription drugs by the age of 40, while women typically begin by the age of 15. On average, a newborn boy in 2019 is expected to take prescription drugs for about 37 years, which accounts for 48% of his life. Conversely, a newborn girl in 2019 can anticipate taking these medications for approximately 47.5 years, equivalent to 60% of her life.

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