Kibret Getiye Dejenu, Kamalakkannan Abbish, Thomas Judith, Sezgin Gorkem, Hardie Rae-Anne, Pont Lisa, McGuire Precious, Pearce Christopher, Georgiou Andrew
Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, NSW 2109, Australia.
Discipline of Pharmacy, Graduate School of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia.
J Prim Health Care. 2024 Dec;16(4):325-331. doi: 10.1071/HC23168.
Introduction Mental health conditions, such as depression, anxiety, and psychological distress in the adult population significantly increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the rates of prescribing psychotropic medications in adults during the COVID-19 period have not been well explored. Aim The aim of this study was to examine the association between demographic characteristics and rates of prescribing psychotropic medications to general practice patients during 2018-2022. Methods A total of 154 528 general practice patients aged 20 years and above were included in the study. A mixed effects negative binomial regression model was employed and incidence risk ratios (IRRs) with corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) are presented to measure the association of demographic characteristics with rates of prescribing psychotropic medication. Results Over half (56.2%) of study subjects were female and 41.4% were aged between 20 and 39 years. Males had lower prescribing rates of antidepressants (IRR = 0.95; 95% CI: 0.94, 0.97) and hypnotics and sedatives (IRR = 0.97; 95% CI: 0.96, 0.99) than females. People in the age group 60+ years (compared with age group 20-39 years) and those in low and middle socio-economic status (SES) categories (compared with high SES) had higher rates of prescribing psychotropic medication. Conclusion Females, people aged 60+ years, and people with low and middle SES had higher prescribing rates of psychotropic medication. A consistent increase in prescribing rates over time, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, was observed. It is important that health care planners and policy makers monitor and account for population diversity and equity.
引言
在新冠疫情期间，成年人中的心理健康问题，如抑郁症、焦虑症和心理困扰显著增加。然而，新冠疫情期间成年人使用精神药物的处方率尚未得到充分研究。
目的
本研究的目的是探讨2018 - 2022年期间人口统计学特征与全科患者使用精神药物处方率之间的关联。
方法
本研究共纳入了154528名年龄在20岁及以上的全科患者。采用混合效应负二项回归模型，并给出了相应的95%置信区间（CI）的发病风险比（IRR），以衡量人口统计学特征与精神药物处方率之间的关联。
结果
超过一半（56.2%）的研究对象为女性，41.4%的年龄在20至39岁之间。男性的抗抑郁药处方率（IRR = 0.95；95% CI：0.94，0.97）以及催眠药和镇静剂处方率（IRR = 0.97；95% CI：0.96，0.99）低于女性。60岁及以上年龄组的人群（与20 - 39岁年龄组相比）以及社会经济地位（SES）处于中低水平的人群（与高SES相比）使用精神药物的处方率更高。
结论
女性、60岁及以上人群以及社会经济地位处于中低水平的人群使用精神药物的处方率更高。观察到随着时间的推移，尤其是在新冠疫情期间，处方率持续上升。医疗保健规划者和政策制定者监测并考虑人口多样性和公平性非常重要。
