Psychotropics use in the Spanish elderly: predictors and evolution between years 1993 and 2003.
OBJECTIVE
This study mainly aimed at describing the prevalence of psychotropic medication consumption in the Spanish elderly population between the years 1993 and 2003.


METHODS
Descriptive, cross-sectional study covering the Spanish population aged 65 years and over, using data drawn from the 1993 and 2003 Spanish National Health Surveys (ENSS). A total of 9570 interviews were analysed (3436 from 1993 and 6134 from 2003). The independent variables were sociodemographic and health-related, and the dependent variable was total consumption of psychotropic medication. Using logistic multivariate regression models, we have analysed the temporal evolution of psychotropic medication consumption between 1993 and 2003.


RESULTS
The prevalence of consumption was significantly higher in women (6.7% from 1993 and 26.4 % from 2003) versus men (2.4% from 1993 and 10.6% from 2003) (p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis, highlighted the association between increased psychoactive drug intake and sex, nervous, depressive, sleep disorders and negative perception of health, displayed a strong association with consumption of psychoactive drugs across the 2 years.


CONCLUSIONS
In Spain, the prevalence of psychoactive drug consumption is higher among elderly women than men, and increases with negative perception of health. The prevalence of consumption was significantly higher in the year 2003.
Carrasco-Garrido
P
P
Unidad de Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Alcorcón, Madrid, Spain. pilar.carrasco@urjc.es
Jiménez-García
R
R
Astasio-Arbiza
P
P
Ortega-Molina
P
P
de Miguel
A Gil
AG
D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012737:Sex Factors; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors
D011619:Psychotropic Drugs