The relationship between socio-economic status and antidepressant prescription: a longitudinal survey and register study of young adults.
OBJECTIVE
The current study examines the relationship between socio-economic status (SES) and antidepressant prescription among young adults and investigates mechanisms that could explain such a potential social gradient.


METHODS
Longitudinal survey data from a population-based Norwegian sample (N = 2606) was collected in four waves over a 13-year period. The data were linked to register data on antidepressant prescription and several indicators of SES (education, income, social or unemployment benefits, disability or rehabilitation benefits and parents' education).


RESULTS
Apart from parents' education, all indicators of low SES were related to higher rates of antidepressant prescription. A part of the relationship between SES and antidepressant prescription was due to low SES being related to higher levels of anxiety and depression. Moreover, low SES was related to more frequent use of mental health services, which again was related to higher rates of antidepressant prescription. Both contact with physicians and other mental healthcare professionals accounted for some of the relationship between SES and antidepressant prescription.


CONCLUSIONS
The study provides information about mechanisms involved in the relationship between low SES and antidepressant prescription. More research is needed about whether a comparable social gradient in antidepressant prescription is also to be found outside the Nordic countries.
Norwegian Social Research (NOVA), Oslo, Norway. tvs@nova.no
T
T
von Soest
J G
JG
Bramness
W
W
Pedersen
L
L
Wichstrøm
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D015897:Comorbidity; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009664:Norway; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012042:Registries; D012923:Social Class; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014600:Utilization Review / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult
D000928:Antidepressive Agents