Use of psychotropic drugs in gynecological, surgical, and medical wards of general hospitals.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of psychotropic drug use and the predictors of use during hospitalization.

METHOD

We investigated 728 patients admitted to medical, gynecological, and surgical wards of two non-university general hospitals in Austria for psychotropic drug use, psychiatric morbidity, and sociodemographic characteristics.

RESULTS

The use of psychotropics was highest in medical wards (67.6%), followed by surgical (59.3%), and gynecological wards (37.8%). Older age, psychiatric caseness, consultation by psychiatrists and use of psychotropics before admission were predictors for psychotropic drug use. Psychotropics were given for a longer duration to psychiatric cases than to non-cases. Anxiolytics were prescribed most often (39.6%), followed by hypnotics (16.9%), neuroleptics (10.7%), and antidepressants (7.0%).

CONCLUSIONS

The fact that psychiatric illness is a significant predictor of psychotropic drug use suggests that these drugs were prescribed aptly. The longer duration of use among psychiatric cases supports the idea of appropriate prescriptions.