Women, OTCs and Health in the United States:

• 73% of OTC medicines are purchased by women. [ACNielsen Homescan panel, 2005]
• 82% of women—in comparison to 71% of men—have used an OTC in the last six months. [Roper Starch Worldwide, 2001]
• Women are more likely than men to look at the medicine label or talk to a pharmacist for information. [Prevention, 2002]
• 47% of women report they are “very likely” to get health information from the Internet. [National Women’s Health Resource Center, 2005]

Women as the Health Decision-Makers and Caregivers in American Households:

• Women make the healthcare decisions in 71% of households. [National Women’s Health Resource Center, 2005]
• 61% of caregivers are women. Female caregivers also provide more hours of care and a higher level of care than male caregivers. [Caregiving in the U.S., National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP, 2004]
• Most women will spend 17 years caring for children and another 18 years helping an elderly parent. [101 Facts on the Status of Working Women produced by Business and Professional Women's Foundation (as found on www.nfcacares.org)]
• 40% of women have children in the home under 18. [U.S. Census Bureau, 2003 estimates]

Updated September 2005