title: Antidepressant use in 27 European countries: associations with sociodemographic, cultural and economic factors.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Prescribing of antidepressants varies widely between European countries despite no evidence of difference in the prevalence of affective disorders.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate associations between the use of antidepressants, country-level spending on healthcare and country-level attitudes towards mental health problems.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used Eurobarometer 2010, a large general population survey from 27 European countries, to measure antidepressant use and regularity of use. We then analysed the associations with country-level spending on healthcare and country-level attitudes towards mental health problems.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Higher country spending on healthcare was strongly associated with regular use of antidepressants. Beliefs that mentally ill people are 'dangerous' were associated with higher use, and beliefs that they 'never recover' or 'have themselves to blame' were associated with lower and less regular use of antidepressants.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Contextual factors, such as healthcare spending and public attitudes towards mental illness, may partly explain variations in antidepressant use and regular use of these medications.
authors.affiliation: Dan Lewer, BSc, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, UK; Claire O'Reilly, PhD, Faculty of Pharmacy, The University of Sydney, Australia; Ramin Mojtabai, MD, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, USA; Sara Evans-Lacko, PhD, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, and Personal Social Services Research Unit, London School of Economics and Political Science, London, UK.
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lewer
authors.affiliation: Dan Lewer, BSc, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, UK; Claire O'Reilly, PhD, Faculty of Pharmacy, The University of Sydney, Australia; Ramin Mojtabai, MD, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, USA; Sara Evans-Lacko, PhD, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, and Personal Social Services Research Unit, London School of Economics and Political Science, London, UK.
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: O'Reilly
authors.affiliation: Dan Lewer, BSc, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, UK; Claire O'Reilly, PhD, Faculty of Pharmacy, The University of Sydney, Australia; Ramin Mojtabai, MD, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, USA; Sara Evans-Lacko, PhD, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, and Personal Social Services Research Unit, London School of Economics and Political Science, London, UK.
authors.forename: Ramin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mojtabai
authors.affiliation: Dan Lewer, BSc, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, UK; Claire O'Reilly, PhD, Faculty of Pharmacy, The University of Sydney, Australia; Ramin Mojtabai, MD, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, USA; Sara Evans-Lacko, PhD, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, and Personal Social Services Research Unit, London School of Economics and Political Science, London, UK sara.evans-lacko@kcl.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Evans-Lacko
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003469:Culture; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005062:European Union; D005260:Female; D005102:Health Expenditures; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013240:Stereotyping; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents