Prevalence of Antidepressant Prescription in Adolescents Newly Diagnosed with Depression in Germany
Background: Depression is themost commonmental illness in theworld, found in nearly three in ten adolescents globally. This study aims to evaluate the prevalence of antidepressant prescriptions and the types of antidepressant therapy administered among adolescents diagnosed with depression in Ger...
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| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Philipps-Universität Marburg
2024
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | PDF Full Text |
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| Summary: | Background: Depression is themost commonmental illness in theworld, found in nearly three
in ten adolescents globally. This study aims to evaluate the prevalence of antidepressant prescriptions
and the types of antidepressant therapy administered among adolescents diagnosed with depression in
Germany. Methods: This retrospective cohort study, based on data provided by 30 child and adolescent
psychiatrists, included adolescents aged 13–17 years with an initial diagnosis of depression between 2010
and 2022 (index date) documented in the IQVIATM Disease Analyzer database. Kaplan–Meier curves
were used to investigate the one-year cumulative incidence of antidepressant prescriptions stratified
by age, sex, and depression severity. Multivariable Cox regression analyses were used to assess the
association between age, sex, depression severity, co-diagnoses, and antidepressant drug prescription.
Results: A total of 6338 adolescents (mean age: 16 years, 67% female, 59% with moderate depression)
were available. The cumulative incidence of antidepressant prescriptions was 61% and increased with
age from 13 years old to 17 years old. Fluoxetine was the most prescribed drug, followed by Sertraline,
Escitalopram, Serotonin and Norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, herbal medications, andMirtazapine.
Obsessive–compulsive disorder and eating disorders were found to be significantly associated with
antidepressant prescriptions within the spectrum of co-diagnosed conditions. Conclusions: Higher age,
depression severity, and a co-diagnosis of an obsessive–compulsive disorder or eating disorder were
significantly positively associated with antidepressant prescriptions in adolescents. Fluoxetine was the
most frequently prescribed drug for depression. |
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| Item Description: | Gefördert durch den Open-Access-Publikationsfonds der UB Marburg. |
| DOI: | 10.3390/children11101246 |