TY - JOUR

T1 - Socio-economic inequalities in first-time use of antidepressants

T2 - a population-based study

AU - Hansen, D G

AU - Søndergaard, J

AU - Vach, W

AU - Gram, L F

AU - Rosholm, J U

AU - Mortensen, P B

AU - Kragstrup, J

PY - 2004/3

Y1 - 2004/3

N2 - OBJECTIVE: To analyse whether first-time use of antidepressants (incidence) and selection of TCAs (tricyclic antidepressants) versus new-generation drugs are associated with socio-economic status and psychiatric history.METHOD: We conducted a population-based cohort study using registry data covering Funen County, Denmark. A total of 305,953 adult residents without antidepressant prescriptions 5 years prior to the study period (1998) were included.RESULTS: The 1-year incidence rate of antidepressant prescription (1.7%) increased with age. It was higher in people who were female, less educated, unemployed, those receiving old-age or disability pension, low-income groups, and singles. The proportion prescribed new-generation antidepressants (82%) showed no difference according to socio-economic variables (education, annual income and socio-economic group), but was higher among the young and single. Admission to psychiatric hospital within 4 years prior to the study period was associated with high-incidence rate of antidepressant prescription and overall a preference for the new-generation antidepressants.CONCLUSION: Socio-economic status did not seem to influence the selection of TCAs versus new-generation antidepressants. Compatible with the general epidemiology of depression, low socio-economic status was associated with a high number of first-time users of antidepressants in the population, and the incidence rate increased with age.

AB - OBJECTIVE: To analyse whether first-time use of antidepressants (incidence) and selection of TCAs (tricyclic antidepressants) versus new-generation drugs are associated with socio-economic status and psychiatric history.METHOD: We conducted a population-based cohort study using registry data covering Funen County, Denmark. A total of 305,953 adult residents without antidepressant prescriptions 5 years prior to the study period (1998) were included.RESULTS: The 1-year incidence rate of antidepressant prescription (1.7%) increased with age. It was higher in people who were female, less educated, unemployed, those receiving old-age or disability pension, low-income groups, and singles. The proportion prescribed new-generation antidepressants (82%) showed no difference according to socio-economic variables (education, annual income and socio-economic group), but was higher among the young and single. Admission to psychiatric hospital within 4 years prior to the study period was associated with high-incidence rate of antidepressant prescription and overall a preference for the new-generation antidepressants.CONCLUSION: Socio-economic status did not seem to influence the selection of TCAs versus new-generation antidepressants. Compatible with the general epidemiology of depression, low socio-economic status was associated with a high number of first-time users of antidepressants in the population, and the incidence rate increased with age.

KW - Adolescent

KW - Adult

KW - Aged

KW - Antidepressive Agents/therapeutic use

KW - Cohort Studies

KW - Denmark

KW - Drug Prescriptions/statistics & numerical data

KW - Female

KW - Humans

KW - Male

KW - Mental Disorders

KW - Middle Aged

KW - Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors/therapeutic use

KW - Pharmacoepidemiology/methods

KW - Socioeconomic Factors

KW - Time Factors

U2 - 10.1007/s00228-003-0723-y

DO - 10.1007/s00228-003-0723-y

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 14968270

VL - 60

SP - 51

EP - 55

JO - European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology

JF - European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology

SN - 0031-6970

IS - 1

ER -