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Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
Published in: Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology 2/2017

Open Access 01-02-2017 | Original Paper

Influences on antidepressant prescribing trends in the UK: 1995–2011

Authors: Becky Mars, Jon Heron, David Kessler, Neil M. Davies, Richard M. Martin, Kyla H. Thomas, David Gunnell

Published in: Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology | Issue 2/2017

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Abstract

Purpose

The number of antidepressants prescribed in the UK has been increasing over the last 25 years; however, the reasons for this are not clear. This study examined trends in antidepressant prescribing in the UK between 1995 and 2011 according to age, sex, and drug class, and investigated reasons for the increase in prescribing over this period.

Methods

This is a retrospective analysis of antidepressant prescribing data from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink: a large, anonymised, primary care database in the UK. The dataset used in this study included 138 practices, at which a total of 1,524,201 eligible patients were registered across the 17-year period. The proportion of patients who received at least one antidepressant prescription and the number of patients who started a course of antidepressants were calculated for each year of the study. We used person years (PY) at risk as the denominator. The duration of treatment for those starting antidepressants was also examined.

Results

23% of patients were prescribed an antidepressant on at least one occasion over the 17-year study period. Antidepressant prescriptions rose from 61.9 per 1000 PY in 1995 to 129.9 per 1000 PY in 2011. This was largely driven by an increase in prescribing of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and ‘other’ antidepressants. In contrast, incidence rates of those starting antidepressants remained relatively stable (1995: 21.3 per 1000 PY; 2011: 17.9 per 1000 PY). The duration of treatment increased with later starting years, with an increasing proportion of long-term use, and decrease in short-term use.

Conclusion

The increase in antidepressant prescribing over the study period appears to be driven by an increase in long-term use of these medications.
Appendix
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Metadata
Title
Influences on antidepressant prescribing trends in the UK: 1995–2011
Authors
Becky Mars
Jon Heron
David Kessler
Neil M. Davies
Richard M. Martin
Kyla H. Thomas
David Gunnell
Publication date
01-02-2017
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology / Issue 2/2017
Print ISSN: 0933-7954
Electronic ISSN: 1433-9285
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-016-1306-4

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