%0 Journal Article
%T Anti-depressant medications: change in consumption between 2000 and 2003, in the Auvergne region
%A Lecadet J
%A Vidal P
%A Vialaret K
%A Baris B
%J Revue M¨¦dicale de l'Assurance Maladie
%D 2006
%I 
%X Objective: To evaluate the change in anti-depressant consumption between 2000 and 2003, in a region, Auvergne and to identify the major features of this change. Methods: Data related to a population covered by the National Health Insurance Funds general system in the Auvergne. The number of people was counted from reimbursed anti-depressants in 2000 and 2003, identified by the medicines coding. The study population was drawn randomly from social security numbers. Results: The annual prevalence rate of anti-depressant consumption increased from 10.7 % (¡À 0.2) in 2000 to 11.5 % (¡À 0.2) in 2003. The age and sex features of the patients remained similar between the two years. The length of treatment assessed from the number of reimbursements increased. The percentage of people with at least seven reimbursements increased from 41.6 % to 45.7 % (p < 10 -3 ). The quarterly incidence of anti-depressant consumption remained stable at 1.30 % (¡À 0.8) in 2000 versus 1.27 % (¡À 0.8) in 2003. Conclusions: The increased prevalence of consumers is caused mostly by lengthening the treatment times. This change may represent a progression in treatment regimens or may reflect difficulties in weaning off the medications. In view of the challenges these situations may raise it appears important for additional studies to be conducted in order to identify the clinical reasons which are leading to this change in treatment.
%K anti-depressant
%K evaluation
%K Auvergne
%K depression
%K prevalence
%K weaning
%U http://www.ameli.fr/fileadmin/user_upload/documents/Medicaments_antidepresseurs.pdf