Psychotropic prescription use by community-dwelling elderly in the United States.
OBJECTIVE
To examine psychotropic prescription use in community-dwelling elderly in the United States and its association with predisposing, enabling, and need factors.


METHODS
Retrospective analysis of the 1996 Medical Expenditure Survey (MEPS).


METHODS
A national representative sample survey of the United States non-institutionalized population.


METHODS
Community-dwelling persons aged 65 and older participating in the MEPS.


METHODS
Psychotropic prescription use patterns and factors associated with the use of psychotropics in general as well as of individual classes, specifically antidepressants, antianxiety agents, and sedative/hypnotics.


RESULTS
According to the MEPS, more than 6 million (19%) community-dwelling elderly persons used psychotropic medications in 1996. Nearly 3 million (9.1%) elderly were taking antidepressants, almost 2.5 million (7.5%) antianxiety agents, and 1.5 million (4.8%) sedative/hypnotics. Several correlates of psychotropic prescription use were identified. Enabling (e.g., prescription insurance) and need (e.g., health status) factors were found to be consistently associated with the use of antidepressant, antianxiety, and sedative/hypnotic agents. Predisposing factors such as sex, race, region, and education varied with the type of psychotropic drug class examined.


CONCLUSIONS
Nearly one in five community-dwelling elderly persons used psychotropic medications, primarily antidepressants followed by antianxiety agents. Enabling and need factors were consistently associated with psychotropic classes examined, whereas most predisposing factors varied with the type of psychotropic drug class.
Aparasu
Rajender R
RR
College of Pharmacy, South Dakota State University, Brookings 57007, USA. Rajender_Aparasu@sdstate.edu
Mort
Jane R
JR
Brandt
Heather
H
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000639:trends*; D005260:Female; D005853:Geriatrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends*; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D007356:Insurance, Pharmaceutical Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States
D011619:Psychotropic Drugs