The epidemiology of antidepressant use in South Korea: Does short-term antidepressant use affect the relapse and recurrence of depressive episodes?

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:The duration of antidepressant use affects the treatment of depression. Using the National Health Insurance database, which covers almost the entire national population, we verified the factors associated with the inadequate short-term use of initially prescribed antidepressants and their effects on the relapse and recurrence of depressive episodes. METHODS:There were 752,190 patients included who had been newly prescribed antidepressants in 2012 with the diagnosis of depressive disorder. They were followed-up until December 31, 2015. They were classified as short-term and long-term antidepressant users depending on whether they used a specific initial antidepressant for at least four weeks. Sociodemographic, clinical, and medical utilization factors affecting the duration of an

SUBMITTER: Kim MJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6760791 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature