Observational studyInternational journal of environmental research and public health2022
Consumption of Psychiatric Drugs in Primary Care during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Observational study in International journal of environmental research and public health, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 19 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
19 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 59 citations in OpenAlex.
- Change of antidepressant utilization in children, adolescents and young adults in Europe before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review.European child & adolescent psychiatry · 2026Pooled it
- The effect of age-specific stay-at-home recommendation on healthcare utilization: Evidence from Finland's COVID-19 policy.The European journal of health economics : HEPAC : health economics in prevention and care · 2026Article
- Changing trends in drug overdose mortality in Spain, 2001-2022.Addiction (Abingdon, England) · 2026Observational
- Healthcare utilization and cost analysis by social determinants of health: a prospective cohort study in Catalonia, Spain.BMC health services research · 2026Article
- Fluctuations in dispensed out-patient psychotropic medication prescriptions during the COVID-19 pandemic in The Netherlands.BJPsych open · 2025Article
- Article
- Neuroleptic malignant syndrome and serotonin syndrome: a comparative bibliometric analysis.Orphanet journal of rare diseases · 2024Review
- Utilization of antidepressants, anxiolytics, and hypnotics during the COVID-19 pandemic.Translational psychiatry · 2024Review
- Prescriptions of antidepressants and anxiolytics in France 2012-2022 and changes with the COVID-19 pandemic: interrupted time series analysis.BMJ mental health · 2024Article
- COVID-19 epidemiology and rural healthcare: a survey in a Spanish village.Epidemiology and infection · 2023Article
- Article
- Psychotropic consumption before and during COVID-19 in Asturias, Spain.BMC public health · 2023Observational
- Primary care visits due to mental health problems and use of psychotropic medication during the COVID-19 pandemic in Finnish adolescents and young adults.Child and adolescent psychiatry and mental health · 2023Article
- The Mediating Role of Depression and of State Anxiety οn the Relationship between Trait Anxiety and Fatigue in Nurses during the Pandemic Crisis.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Article
- The influence of alcohol consumption on Self-Rated Health and Mood during the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain.Frontiers in public health · 2023Article
- Depression, Suicidal Ideation, and Consumption of Psychotropic Drugs During Lockdown by COVID-19 According to Gender and Age.International journal of mental health and addiction · 2022Article
- Use of Alcohol, Cannabinoids, Psychostimulants, and Sedatives before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic among Students in 40 European Countries.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Article
- Benzodiazepines and Z-hypnotics consumption in long-COVID-19 patients: Gender differences and associated factors.Frontiers in medicine · 2022Article
- Impacts of social restrictions on mental health and health behaviours of individuals with multimorbidity during Covid-19 pandemic.Journal of multimorbidity and comorbidityArticle
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThe main objective of this research was to analyze whether there were changes in the use of antidepressants, anxiolytics, and hypnotic-sedative drugs, in the context of primary health care, during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to the pre-pandemic period. We further sought to study consumption in vulnerable population groups.
methodsA cross-sectional observational study was performed in a primary health district of Spain. The data were obtained from the Andalusian Public Health System database, for the pre-COVID-19 period, from March 2019 to February 2020, and for the COVID-19 period, from March 2020 to February 2021. Univariant and bivariant analyses were performed. The effect size was measured using the Rosenthal test.
resultsWhile the total number of medical prescriptions decreased by 2.5% in the COVID-19 period, the prescriptions of psychiatric drugs increased by 6.1%. The increase in the dose consumption per 1000 inhabitants (DHD) was highest for anxiolytics (7.2%), followed by hypnotic-sedatives (5.6%) and antidepressants (3.7%). The consumption of antidepressants, anxiolytics, and sedative-hypnotic drugs was higher in women, older people, and rural areas and lower in areas with social transformation needs, with these differences being statistically significant.
conclusionsThe consumption of psychiatric drugs has increased over the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in women, older people, and rural areas. Thus, we should reflect on the adequate use of these drugs.
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