Utilization of antidepressants, anxiolytics, and hypnotics during the COVID-19 pandemic in Scandinavia

ElsevierVolume 323, 15 February 2023, Pages 292-298Journal of Affective DisordersAuthor links open overlay panelHighlights•

Antidepressant utilization increased late 2020 in Denmark and in youths in Norway.

General increase of utilization of other anxiolytics and hypnotics late 2020

Earlier increase in utilization of other anxiolytics and hypnotics in Denmark 2020

Stock piling of drugs for depression, anxiety, and sleep in March 2020

AbstractObjective

To study patterns of antidepressant, anxiolytic, and hypnotic drug utilization in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

The monthly observed number of prescription fills of antidepressants, benzodiazepines and benzodiazepine-related hypnotics (BZ), and other anxiolytics and hypnotics (OAH) per population in 2020 were compared with predicted numbers based on analysis of covariance of prescription fills during 2015–2019.

Results

In March 2020, there was an increased number of prescription fills for antidepressants, anxiolytics, and hypnotics in youths and adults aged 20–59 years in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. Antidepressant prescription fills increased between 13.5 % and 31.3 % at the end of 2020 in all age groups in Denmark and 17.4 % in youths in Norway. BZ drug prescription fills increased by 20.8 % at the end of 2020 in the 20–59 year age group in Denmark and decreased by 16.7 % in youths in Sweden. A general increase of prescription fills of OAH at the end of 2020 was observed in all countries (range 24.0–80.0 % in Denmark, 11.5–30.8 % in Norway, and 9.1–12.1 % in Sweden). Increases of prescription fills of OAH occurred earlier in Denmark.

Limitations

Aggregated data with lack of information on indications.

Conclusions

Peaks of utilization of antidepressants, anxiolytics, and hypnotics observed in March 2020 may reflect medication stock piling. Increased antidepressant drug utilization in Denmark and in Norwegian youths together with the general increase in OAH utilization in the Scandinavian countries in late 2020 may indicate an increase of symptoms of depression and anxiety, as well as disturbed sleep.

Keywords

Drug utilization

Antidepressants

Anxiolytics

Benzodiazepines

Hypnotics

COVID-19

© 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.

留言 (0)

沒有登入
gif