Folkhälsan Research Center, PO Box 211, 00251, Helsinki, Finland.
Clinicum, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2021 Dec;56(12):2209-2216. doi: 10.1007/s00127-021-02049-1. Epub 2021 Mar 1.
The purpose of this study was to compare the use of antidepressants over 6 years between family caregivers providing high-intensity care and a matched control population using register-based data.
The study includes all individuals, who received family caregiver's allowance in Finland in 2012 (n = 29,846 females, mean age 66 years; n = 12,410 males, mean age 71 years) and a control population matched for age, sex, and municipality of residence (n = 59,141 females; n = 24,477 males). Information on purchases of antidepressants, including the number of defined daily doses (DDD) purchased, between 2012 and 2017 was obtained from the national drugs reimbursement register.
During the follow-up, 28.5% of female caregivers and 23.5% of the female controls used antidepressants, while the numbers for males were 21.1% and 16.4%, respectively. Adjusted for socioeconomic status, female caregivers used 43.7 (95% confidence interval 42.4-45.0) and their controls used 36.2 (35.3-37.2) DDDs of antidepressants per person-year. Male caregivers used 29.6 (27.6-31.6) and their controls used 21.6 (20.2-23.0) DDDs of antidepressants per person-year. Among female caregivers, the relative risk for use of antidepressants was similar (about 1.3) from 20 to 70 years, after which the relative risk declined. In male caregivers, the relative risk was highest (about 1.4-1.5) between 45 and 65 years.
Family caregivers providing high-intensity care use more antidepressants and hence, are likely to have poorer mental health than the age-matched general population in virtually all age groups. However, the magnitude of the higher use varies as a function of age and gender.
本研究旨在利用基于登记的资料，比较 6 年内高强度家庭护理者与相匹配的对照人群使用抗抑郁药物的情况。
本研究纳入了 2012 年在芬兰领取家庭护理津贴的所有人群（女性 29846 人，平均年龄 66 岁；男性 12410 人，平均年龄 71 岁）和按年龄、性别和居住地相匹配的对照人群（女性 59141 人；男性 24477 人）。从国家药物报销登记处获得了 2012 年至 2017 年期间购买抗抑郁药物的信息，包括购买的限定日剂量（DDD）数量。
随访期间，28.5%的女性护理者和 23.5%的女性对照者使用了抗抑郁药物，而男性护理者和对照者的使用比例分别为 21.1%和 16.4%。调整社会经济状况后，女性护理者和对照者每人每年使用的抗抑郁药物 DDD 分别为 43.7（95%置信区间 42.4-45.0）和 36.2（35.3-37.2）。男性护理者和对照者每人每年使用的抗抑郁药物 DDD 分别为 29.6（27.6-31.6）和 21.6（20.2-23.0）。在女性护理者中，20 岁至 70 岁之间使用抗抑郁药物的相对风险相似（约 1.3），之后相对风险下降。在男性护理者中，45 岁至 65 岁之间的相对风险最高（约 1.4-1.5）。
高强度家庭护理者使用的抗抑郁药物更多，因此，他们的心理健康状况可能比同龄的一般人群更差，几乎在所有年龄组中都是如此。然而，更高使用的幅度随年龄和性别而变化。
