title: The public debate on psychotropic medication and changes in attitudes 1990-2011.
abstract: Over the last 25 years, the appraisal of psychotropic drugs within the scientific community and their representation in the media has changed considerably. The initial optimism in the wake of the introduction of second-generation drugs has increasingly made room for a more critical evaluation of alleged advantages of these drugs. The question arises as to what extent this is reflected in similar changes in the public's attitudes towards psychiatric medication. Three representative population surveys on attitudes towards psychotropic medication were carried out in Germany in 1990 (N = 3075), 2001 (N = 2610) and 2011 (N = 1223), using the same sampling procedure, interview mode and instrument for assessing attitudes. In order to disentangle time-related effects, an age-period-cohort analysis was performed. Over the time period of 21 years, the German public's evaluation of psychotropic medication has become markedly more favourable. This change was mostly due to a period effect, i.e. concurrent influences of the social environment people are exposed to. Changes were much more pronounced in the 1990s, while over the following decade only a small, although statistically significant, increase in the favourable appraisal of medication was found. Age and birth cohort had only a minor effect on public attitudes. Our findings suggest that changes in the evaluation of the effects of psychotropic drugs within the psychiatric community and their representation in the media also affect public opinion. Given the ongoing debate about side effects and efficacy of psychiatric medication, future changes of public opinion can be expected.
authors.affiliation: Center for Public Mental Health, Untere Zeile 13, 3482, Gösing am Wagram, Austria. angermeyer@aon.at.|Department of Public Health, Clinical and Molecular Medicine, University of Cagliari, Cittadella, Universitaria asse didattica E, Monserrato, CA, Italy. angermeyer@aon.at.
authors.forename: Matthias C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Angermeyer
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University Medicine Greifswald, Ellernholzstr. 1-2, 17475, Greifswald, Germany.
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Van der Auwera
authors.affiliation: Institute of Social Medicine, Occupational Health and Public Health, University of Leipzig, Philipp-Rosenthal-Str. 55, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.|Institute of Health Economics and Health Services Research, University of Hamburg, Martinistr. 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Herbert
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Matschinger
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Clinical and Molecular Medicine, University of Cagliari, Cittadella, Universitaria asse didattica E, Monserrato, CA, Italy.
authors.forename: Mauro G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Carta
authors.affiliation: Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, University of Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauß-Allee 11, 93053, Regensburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Sebastian E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Baumeister
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University Medicine Greifswald, Ellernholzstr. 1-2, 17475, Greifswald, Germany.|HELIOS Hanseklinikum Stralsund, Große Parower Str. 47, 18435, Stralsund, Germany.
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schomerus
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001290:Attitude; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010551:Personality; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011639:Public Opinion; D012044:Regression Analysis; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D011619:Psychotropic Drugs
keywords: Attitudes; Population study; Psychotropic medication; Time trend