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Impact of COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns on the consumption of anxiolytics, hypnotics and antidepressants according to age groups: a French nationwide study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 December 2021

M. Levaillant Open the ORCID record for M. Levaillant [Opens in a new window] ,
M. Wathelet ,
A. Lamer ,
E. Riquin ,
B. Gohier  and
J.-F. Hamel-Broza
M. Levaillant*
Affiliation:
University of Lille, CHU Lille, ULR 2694 – METRICS: Évaluation des technologies de santé et des pratiques médicales, F-59000 Lille, France Department of Methodology and Biostatistics, CHU Angers, 4 rue Larrey, 49933 Angers, France
M. Wathelet
Affiliation:
University of Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, U1172 – LilNCog – Lille Neuroscience & Cognition, F-59000 Lille, France Centre National de Ressources et de Résilience Lille-Paris (CN2R), F-59000 Lille, France Fédération de Recherche en Psychiatrie et Santé Mentale des Hauts-de-France, F-59000 Lille, France
A. Lamer
Affiliation:
University of Lille, CHU Lille, ULR 2694 – METRICS: Évaluation des technologies de santé et des pratiques médicales, F-59000 Lille, France
E. Riquin
Affiliation:
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Hospital of Angers, Angers, France Mitovasc Unit, UMR CNRS 6015-INSERM, 1083 Angers, France Laboratory of Psychology, LPPL EA4638, University of Angers, Angers, France
B. Gohier
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Addictology, Angers University Hospital, Angers, France UPRES EA 4638, University of Angers, Angers, France
J.-F. Hamel-Broza
Affiliation:
Department of Methodology and Biostatistics, CHU Angers, 4 rue Larrey, 49933 Angers, France Inserm, U1085, Irset, équipe ESTER, université d'Angers, faculté de santé, Angers, France
*
Author for correspondence: M. Levaillant, E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

Background

Previous studies have shown a negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated sanitary measures on mental health, especially among adolescents and young adults. Such a context may raise many concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic long-term psychological effects. An analysis of administrative databases could be an alternative and complementary approach to medical interview-based epidemiological surveys to monitor the mental health of the population. We conducted a nationwide study to describe the consumption of anxiolytics, antidepressants and hypnotics during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, compared to the five previous years.

Methods

A historic cohort study was conducted by extracting and analysing data from the French health insurance database between 1 January 2015 and 28 February 2021. Individuals were classified into five age-based classes. Linear regression models were performed to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic period on the number of drug consumers, in introducing an interaction term between time and COVID-19 period.

Results

Since March 2020, in all five age groups and all three drug categories studied, the number of patients reimbursed weekly has increased compared to the period from January 2015 to February 2020. The youngest the patients, the more pronounced the magnitude.

Conclusions

Monitoring the consumption of psychiatric medications could be of great interest as reliable indicators are essential for planning public health strategies. A post-crisis policy including reliable monitoring of mental health must be anticipated.

Keywords

COVID-19mental healthpharmacoepidemiologypsychiatrypsychotropic drugs
Type
Original Article
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 53 , Issue 7 , May 2023 , pp. 2861 - 2867
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Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press

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