title: Psychotropic Drug Use in São Paulo, Brazil--An Epidemiological Survey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To estimate the prevalence of one month psychotropic drug use in São Paulo, Brazil, and to assess the gap treatment between the presence of mental disorders and psychotropic drug users.
  
  
  METHODS
  A probabilistic sample of non-institutionalized individuals from the general population of São Paulo (n = 2336; turnout: 84.5%) who were 15 years or older were interviewed by a trained research staff, applying the Composite International Diagnostic Interview 2.1 (CIDI WHO) (depression, anxiety-phobia, OCD\PTSD, alcoholism sections), and an inventory investigating psychotropic drug use during the 12-month and one-month periods immediately preceding the interview. Logistic models were fitted to investigate associations between psychotropic drug use as well as socio-demographic and clinical variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The one month prevalence of psychotropic drug use in São Paulo was 5.89%, the most commonly used drugs were antidepressants (3.15%) and tranquilizers (2.67%). A higher consumption of psychotropic drugs (overall, antidepressants and tranquilizers) was observed among women (OR:2.42), older individuals (OR:1.04), individuals with higher levels of formal education (1.06), and individuals with a family (OR:2.29) or personal history of mental illness (OR:3.27). The main psychotropic drug prescribers were psychiatrists (41%), followed by general practitioners (30%); 60% of psychotropic drugs were obtained through a government-run dispensing program. Most individuals who obtained a positive diagnosis on the CIDI 2.1 during the previous month were not using psychotropic medication (85%). Among individuals with a diagnosis of moderate to severe depression, 67.5% were not on any pharmacological treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a change in the type of psychotropic more often used in São Paulo, from benzodiazepines to antidepressants, this event is observed in different cultures. The prevalence of use is similar to other developing countries. Most of the patients presenting a psychiatric illness in the month prior to testing were not receiving any sort of psychiatric medication. This may be explained by a failure to identify cases in primary care, which could be improved (and access to treatment could be facilitated) if professionals received more specialized training in managing cases with mental health problems.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de São Paulo-Escola Paulista de Medicina, Psychiatry Department, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria Ines
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Quintana
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de São Paulo-Escola Paulista de Medicina, Psychiatry Department, São Paulo, Brazil; Universidade Catolica de Santos, Santos, Brazil.
authors.forename: Sergio Baxter
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Andreoli
authors.affiliation: Universidade Catolica de Santos, Santos, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marcela Poctich
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Peluffo
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de São Paulo-Escola Paulista de Medicina, Psychiatry Department, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Wagner Silva
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de São Paulo-Escola Paulista de Medicina, Psychiatry Department, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marcelo M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Feijo
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de São Paulo-Escola Paulista de Medicina, Psychiatry Department, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rodrigo Affonseca
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Bressan
authors.affiliation: Escola Nacional de Saude Publica-Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Evandro S F
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Coutinho
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de São Paulo-Escola Paulista de Medicina, Psychiatry Department, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Jair de Jesus
authors.initials: Jde J
authors.lastname: Mari
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001007:Anxiety / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D001569:Benzodiazepines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011336:Probability; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs; D001569:Benzodiazepines