title: Effects of L'Aquila earthquake on the prescribing pattern of antidepressant and antipsychotic drugs.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Natural disasters provoke an increase in mental and medical disorders in survivors. Monitoring drug prescription changes after natural disasters can provide an indirect evaluation of trauma impact in the population. Moreover, it could be useful to both identify risk categories that require special assistance and assess possible drug abuse or misuse.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effects of earthquake that occurred on April 6, 2009 on the use of antidepressant and antipsychotic drugs in the province of L'Aquila.
  
  
  METHODS
  General population of L'Aquila and Caserta provinces from Southern Italy.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a retrospective, drug utilization study we identified all the persons who received at least one dispensing of antidepressant and/or antipsychotic drugs during the period April 1st, 2008-March 31st, 2010.
  
  
  METHODS
  The monthly prevalence of use of these drugs, 1 year prior and after the date of earthquake in L'Aquila was compared between the two provinces, L'Aquila and Caserta. All the analyses were stratified by age groups, gender and drug classes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We observed an increase in the use of antipsychotic drugs and, to lesser extent, of antidepressant agents (mostly typicals and tryciclics, respectively) in the first 2 months after the earthquake in L'Aquila but not in Caserta. This increase was almost two-fold higher in women older than 75 years. After the first 2 months from the earthquake, the use of antidepressants and antipsychotics was stabilized at the pre-earthquake levels in L'Aquila.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The earthquake determined a short-term increase in the use of antipsychotics (mostly haloperidol and promazine) and, to lesser extent, of antidepressants (i.e. tryciclics), especially in older women of L'Aquila.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy, trifirog@unime.it.
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Trifirò
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Italiano
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alibrandi
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sini
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ferrajolo
authors.forename: Annalisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Capuano
authors.forename: Edoardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Spina
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.lastname: L'Aquila group
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004190:Disasters; D055866:Earthquakes; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D017741:Survivors; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents
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