TY - JOUR
T1 - Characteristics of antidepressant medication users in a cohort of mid-age and older Australians
AU - Paige, Ellie
AU - Korda, Rosemary J.
AU - Kemp, Anna
AU - Rodgers, Bryan
AU - Banks, Emily
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2014 The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists.
PY - 2015/3/25
Y1 - 2015/3/25
N2 - Objectives: We aimed to investigate antidepressant use, including the class of antidepressant, in mid-age and older Australians according to sociodemographic, lifestyle and physical and mental health-related factors. Methods: Baseline questionnaire data on 111,705 concession card holders aged ≥45 years from the 45 and Up Study-a population-based cohort study from New South Wales, Australia-were linked to administrative pharmaceutical data. Current- and any-antidepressant users were those dispensed medications with Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical classification codes beginning N06A, within ≤6 months and ≤19 months before baseline, respectively; non-users had no antidepressants dispensed ≤19 months before baseline. Multinomial logistic regression was used to calculate adjusted relative risk ratios (aRRRs) for predominantly self-reported factors in relation to antidepressant use. Results: Some 19% of the study population (15% of males and 23% of females) were dispensed at least one antidepressant during the study period; 40% of participants used selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) only and 32% used tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) only. Current antidepressant use was markedly higher in those reporting: severe versus no physical impairment (aRRR 3.86(95%CI 3.67-4.06)); fair/poor versus xcellent/very good self-rated health (4.04(3.83-4.25)); high/very high versus low psychological distress (7.22(6.81-7.66)); ever- versus never-diagnosis of depression by a doctor (18.85(17.9519.79)); low-dose antipsychotic use versus no antipsychotic use (12.26(9.8515.27)); and dispensing of ≥10 versus <5 other medications (5.97(5.626.34)). Sociodemographic and lifestyle factors were also associated with use, although to a lesser extent. Females, older people, those with lower education and those with poorer health were more likely to be current antidepressant users than non-users and were also more likely to use TCAs-only versus SSRIs-only. Conclusions: Use of antidepressants is substantially higher in those with physical ill-health and in those reporting a range of adverse mental health measures. In addition, sociodemographic factors, including sex, age and education were also associated with antidepressant use and the class of antidepressant used.
AB - Objectives: We aimed to investigate antidepressant use, including the class of antidepressant, in mid-age and older Australians according to sociodemographic, lifestyle and physical and mental health-related factors. Methods: Baseline questionnaire data on 111,705 concession card holders aged ≥45 years from the 45 and Up Study-a population-based cohort study from New South Wales, Australia-were linked to administrative pharmaceutical data. Current- and any-antidepressant users were those dispensed medications with Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical classification codes beginning N06A, within ≤6 months and ≤19 months before baseline, respectively; non-users had no antidepressants dispensed ≤19 months before baseline. Multinomial logistic regression was used to calculate adjusted relative risk ratios (aRRRs) for predominantly self-reported factors in relation to antidepressant use. Results: Some 19% of the study population (15% of males and 23% of females) were dispensed at least one antidepressant during the study period; 40% of participants used selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) only and 32% used tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) only. Current antidepressant use was markedly higher in those reporting: severe versus no physical impairment (aRRR 3.86(95%CI 3.67-4.06)); fair/poor versus xcellent/very good self-rated health (4.04(3.83-4.25)); high/very high versus low psychological distress (7.22(6.81-7.66)); ever- versus never-diagnosis of depression by a doctor (18.85(17.9519.79)); low-dose antipsychotic use versus no antipsychotic use (12.26(9.8515.27)); and dispensing of ≥10 versus <5 other medications (5.97(5.626.34)). Sociodemographic and lifestyle factors were also associated with use, although to a lesser extent. Females, older people, those with lower education and those with poorer health were more likely to be current antidepressant users than non-users and were also more likely to use TCAs-only versus SSRIs-only. Conclusions: Use of antidepressants is substantially higher in those with physical ill-health and in those reporting a range of adverse mental health measures. In addition, sociodemographic factors, including sex, age and education were also associated with antidepressant use and the class of antidepressant used.
KW - Antidepressant medication
KW - cohort studies
KW - population studies
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84923345040&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/0004867414560653
DO - 10.1177/0004867414560653
M3 - Article
SN - 0004-8674
VL - 49
SP - 275
EP - 290
JO - Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry
JF - Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry
IS - 3
ER -