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Trends in psychotropic medication use among US adults.
Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety 2007; 16(5): 560-570.
Paulose-Ram R, Safran MA, Jonas BS, Gu Q, Orwig D.
Abstract
PURPOSE: To examine trends and prevalence of prescription psychotropic medication
use among noninstitutionalized US adults. METHODS: Prescription medication
data from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES;
1988-1994; n = 20 050) and the 1999-2002 NHANES (n = 12 060), two nationally
representative cross-sectional health examination surveys, were examined for
persons aged > or =17 years. RESULTS: The age-adjusted prevalence of psychotropic
medication use increased from 6.1% in 1988-1994 to 11.1% in 1999-2002 (p < 0.001).
This was due to more than a three-fold increase in antidepressant use (2.5%,
1988-1994 vs. 8.1%, 1999-2002 (p < 0.001)). Significant increases between
time periods for antidepressant use were seen for all age, gender, and race-ethnic
groups although increases were less pronounced for males than females and
non-Hispanic blacks and Mexican Americans than non-Hispanic whites. Prevalence
of use remained relatively constant from 1988-1994 to 1999-2002 for anxiolytic/sedative/hypnotic
(ASH) medications (3.5-3.8%), antipsychotics (0.8-1.0%), and antimanic agents
(0.3-0.4%). The age-adjusted prevalence of multiple psychotropic medication
use increased from 1.2% in 1988-1994 to 3.1% in 1999-2002 (p < 0.001).
CONCLUSIONS: Psychotropic medication use among US adults increased since 1988-1994,
specifically of antidepressants. Increases varied by gender and race-ethnicity
indicating under-utilization for non-Hispanic blacks and Mexican Americans
compared to non-Hispanic whites for both males and females. Published in 2007
by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.