© 2004 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
Antidepressants and public health in Iceland
Time series analysis of national data
Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland
Faculty of Economics and Business Administration,University of Iceland
Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland
Correspondence: Tómas Helgason, 4 Midleiti, IS-103 Reykjavik, Iceland. Tel: +354 5532287; e-mail: tomashe{at}isholf.is
Background Major depressive disorder is the second leading cause of disability-adjusted life-years in developed regions of the world and antidepressants are the third-ranking therapy class worldwide.
Aims To test the public health impact of the escalating sales of antidepressants.
Method Nationwide data from Iceland are used as an example to study the effect of sales of antidepressants on suicide, disability, hospital admissions and out-patient visits.
Results Sales of antidepressants increased from 8.4 daily defined doses per 1000 inhabitants per day in 1975 to 72.7 in 2000, which is a user prevalence of 8.7% for the adult population. Suicide rates fluctuated during 1950–2000 but did not show any definite trend. Rates for out-patient visits increased slightly over the period 1989–2000 and admission rates increased even more. The prevalence of disability due to depressive and anxiety disorders has notdecreased over the past 25 years.
Conclusions The dramatic increase in the sales of antidepressants has not had any marked impact on the selected public health measures. Obviously, better treatment for depressive disorders is still needed in order to reduce the burden caused by them.
Related articles in BJP:
- Highlights of this issue
BJP 2004 184: 101-a7.[Full Text]
This article has been cited by other articles:
 |
|
 |
|
  M. Moore, H. M. Yuen, N. Dunn, M. A Mullee, J. Maskell, and T. Kendrick Explaining the rise in antidepressant prescribing: a descriptive study using the general practice research database BMJ, October 15, 2009; 339(oct15_2): b3999 - b3999. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 A Erlangsen, V Canudas-Romo, and Y Conwell Increased use of antidepressants and decreasing suicide rates: a population-based study using Danish register data J Epidemiol Community Health, May 1, 2008; 62(5): 448 - 454. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 P. Tyrer From the Editor's desk The British Journal of Psychiatry, May 1, 2008; 192(5): 400 - 400. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 A. H. Cheung, R. A. Zuckerbrot, P. S. Jensen, K. Ghalib, D. Laraque, R. E.K. Stein, and and the GLAD-PC Steering Group Guidelines for Adolescent Depression in Primary Care (GLAD-PC): II. Treatment and Ongoing Management Pediatrics, November 1, 2007; 120(5): e1313 - e1326. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
P. TYRER The British Journal of Psychiatry, October 1, 2006; 189(4): 390 - 390. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
I. Colman, M. E. J. Wadsworth, T. J. Croudace, and P. B. Jones Three decades of antidepressant, anxiolytic and hypnotic use in a national population birth cohort The British Journal of Psychiatry, August 1, 2006; 189(2): 156 - 160. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
P. Tyrer From the Editor's desk The British Journal of Psychiatry, August 1, 2006; 189(2): 200 - 200. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
S. RESELAND, I. BRAY, and D. GUNNELL Relationship between antidepressant sales and secular trends in suicide rates in the Nordic countries The British Journal of Psychiatry, April 1, 2006; 188(4): 354 - 358. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 J. J. Mann, A. Apter, J. Bertolote, A. Beautrais, D. Currier, A. Haas, U. Hegerl, J. Lonnqvist, K. Malone, A. Marusic, et al. Suicide Prevention Strategies: A Systematic Review JAMA, October 26, 2005; 294(16): 2064 - 2074. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
Z. Rihmer, A. Rihmer, G. Isacsson, H. Tomasson, T. Helgason, and T. Zoega Suicide and antidepressant sales * Authors' reply: The British Journal of Psychiatry, May 1, 2005; 186(5): 445 - 446. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 D. G. Blazer, C. F. Hybels, G. G. Fillenbaum, and C. F. Pieper Predictors of Antidepressant Use Among Older Adults: Have They Changed Over Time? Am J Psychiatry, April 1, 2005; 162(4): 705 - 710. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 R. D. Gibbons, K. Hur, D. K. Bhaumik, and J. J. Mann The Relationship Between Antidepressant Medication Use and Rate of Suicide Arch Gen Psychiatry, February 1, 2005; 62(2): 165 - 172. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
L. V. Kessing, M. G. Hansen, and P. K. Andersen Course of illness in depressive and bipolar disorders: Naturalistic study, 1994-1999 The British Journal of Psychiatry, November 1, 2004; 185(5): 372 - 377. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
T. S. Brugha, P. E. Bebbington, N. Singleton, D. Melzer, R. Jenkins, G. Lewis, M. Farrell, D. Bhugra, A. Lee, and H. Meltzer Trends in service use and treatment for mental disorders in adults throughout Great Britain The British Journal of Psychiatry, November 1, 2004; 185(5): 378 - 384. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
D. Gunnell and D. Ashby Antidepressants and suicide: what is the balance of benefit and harm BMJ, July 3, 2004; 329(7456): 34 - 38. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
M. J. Crawford Depression: international intervention for a global problem The British Journal of Psychiatry, May 1, 2004; 184(5): 379 - 380. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|