Prescriptions of psychopharmacologic drugs in Austria in 2019 and 2020 - Implications of the COVID-19 pandemic.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Measures to reduce the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus have an impact on the mental health of the general population. Drug prescription rates can be used as a surrogate marker to estimate help seeking and health parameters of a population. The aim of this study was to compare psychopharmacologic drug prescriptions in Austria from the start of the pandemic in 2020 over time and with the previous year and to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020.

Methods

Data from the three largest public health insurances in Austria, covering over 98% of the general population, were analyzed. A total of 1,365,294 patients with a prescription of a psychopharmacologic drug in the months March to December in 2019 and 2020 were selected.

Results

There was no si

SUBMITTER: Winkler D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9677449 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature