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Annals of General Psychiatry
Published in: Annals of General Psychiatry 1/2011

Open Access 01-12-2011 | Primary research

Sales of antidepressants, suicides and hospital admissions for depression in Veneto Region, Italy, from 2000 to 2005: an ecological study

Authors: Giuseppe Guaiana, Margherita Andretta, Eric Griez, Bruno Biancosino, Luigi Grassi

Published in: Annals of General Psychiatry | Issue 1/2011

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Abstract

Background

Increased prescription of antidepressants has been consistently associated with a decrease in suicide rates in several countries. The aim of this study is to explore antidepressant consumption, suicide rates and admission for depression in the Veneto Region, Italy, in order to see whether the same pattern could be detected.

Methods

Data from the Italian Ministry of Health (admissions for depression), the Pharmacy Service of a Local Health Unit (antidepressant prescribing) and from the Epidemiological System of the Veneto region (suicide rates) were collected from 2000 to 2005 for the Veneto region.

Results

Suicide rates did not show any marked increase but were stable in males and females. Antidepressant prescribing increased exponentially over the period examined, whilst admissions for depression markedly decreased. The trend for an exponential increase in antidepressant prescribing in the Veneto region is shared with other countries and locales.

Conclusions

It is possible that the increase in antidepressant prescribing might be associated with earlier treatment of depression, thus decreasing the likelihood of aggravation of depression.
Appendix
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Metadata
Title
Sales of antidepressants, suicides and hospital admissions for depression in Veneto Region, Italy, from 2000 to 2005: an ecological study
Authors
Giuseppe Guaiana
Margherita Andretta
Eric Griez
Bruno Biancosino
Luigi Grassi
Publication date
01-12-2011
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Annals of General Psychiatry / Issue 1/2011
Electronic ISSN: 1744-859X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1744-859X-10-24

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