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Psychotropic drug use in a sample of general population in the Sardinia region

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 October 2011

Mauro Giovanni Carta*
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Sanità Pubbiica, Sezione di Psichiatria, Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Cagliari
Maria Carolina Hardoy
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Sanità Pubbiica, Sezione di Psichiatria, Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Cagliari
Mariangela Cadeddu
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Sanità Pubbiica, Sezione di Psichiatria, Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Cagliari
Gioia Mura
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Sanità Pubbiica, Sezione di Psichiatria, Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Cagliari
Anna Laura Floris
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Sanità Pubbiica, Sezione di Psichiatria, Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Cagliari
Bernardo Carpiniello
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Sanità Pubbiica, Sezione di Psichiatria, Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Cagliari
*
Address for correspondence: Professor M.G. Carta, Dipartimento di Sanita Pubbiica. Sez.one di Ps.chiatria, Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Via Liguna 13, 09123Cagliari. Fax +39-070-496.295 E-maii: [email protected]

Abstract

Summary

Aims - To present the results of an epidemiologic research about psychotropic drug use inSardinia. Methods - Cross-sectional study on a sample of 1040 subjects randomly selected from registers. Setting - Community survey on three areas of Sardinia region. Evaluation: interviews carried out byphysicians by means of Italian version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview Simplified.Drug consumption was evaluated concerning last week before the interview. Main Outcome Measures: point prevalence. Results - The rate of adults of the general population that consumed benzodiazepines was 10.1%, antidepressants 4.2%, 14.7% of the sample was using psychotropic drugs. 60% of subjects with diagnosis of ICD-10 Depressive Episod did not have the right pharmacologic treatment. A relevant proportion of subjects without lifetime psychiatric diagnosis (anxiety and/or depression) used antidepressants (0.8%). The pharmacologic therapies were managed by psychiatrics in 44.2% of cases, antidepressants were managed by general practitioners in 31.8% of subjects. Conclusions - The research underlines an increase of meet needs in subjects affected by depressive episodes against a previous Sardinian survey carried out over ten years ago. This change is parallel to a more frequent management of therapies by general practitioners. Their role seems to become more relevant in treating depressive illness.

Declaration of Interest

Mauro Giovanni Carta has received grants and research support from Regione Autonoma della Sardegna, Council of the European Union, European Union DGXII, GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer, Lundbeck, Pharmacia, Recordati. Maria Carolina Hardoy has received grants and research support from University of Pisa, GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer, Farmades. Bernardo Carpiniello has received grants and research support from GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer, Recordati, Janssen Cilag, EliLilly, Astra Zeneca.

Type
Original Papers
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2003

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