title: Trends, correlates, and disease patterns of antipsychotic use among elderly persons in Taiwan.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We used the population-based database to investigate the trends, correlates, and disease patterns of antipsychotic use among elderly people in Taiwan.
  
  
  METHODS
  The National Health Research Institutes provided a database of 1,000,000 random subjects for health service studies. We analyzed a sample of subjects over the age of 65 years from 1997 to 2005. The trends in and factors associated with antipsychotic use were detected. We also examined the proportions of antipsychotics used for psychiatric and medical disorders.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 1-year prevalence of antipsychotic use in elderly persons increased from 9.8% in 1997 to 12.8% in 2005. The prevalence of first-generation antipsychotic (FGA) use increased from 9.8% to 11.6%, and the prevalence of second-generation antipsychotic (SGA) use increased greatly from 0.01% to 2.02%. Higher prevalence of both FGAs and SGAs were associated with age and higher Charlson Comorbidity Index scores. Psychiatric disorders were commonly found in SGA users (80.8%), whereas only 19.3% of the FGA users had psychiatric disorders. Among the major psychiatric disorders, greater proportions of antipsychotic use were for senile and presenile organic psychotic conditions, other organic psychotic conditions, and affective psychoses. FGAs were much more commonly prescribed for nonpsychiatric disorders, including diseases of symptoms, signs, and ill-defined conditions, the digestive system, and the respiratory system.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of antipsychotic use, particularly the use of SGAs, increased greatly from 1997 to 2005 among elderly persons in Taiwan. SGAs were most used by subjects with psychiatric disorders, and FGAs were most used by those with nonpsychiatric disorders.
authors.affiliation: Tsaotun Psychiatric Center, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Nantou, Taiwan.|Central Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chia-Lun
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Kuo
authors.affiliation: Tsaotun Psychiatric Center, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Nantou, Taiwan. icchien@ttpc.mohw.gov.tw, lewis777@ms26.hinet.net.|Department of Public Health & Institute of Public Health, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan. icchien@ttpc.mohw.gov.tw, lewis777@ms26.hinet.net.
authors.forename: I-Chia
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4242-6283
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Chien
authors.affiliation: Taichung Veteran General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ching-Heng
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015995:Prevalence; D013624:Taiwan
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents
keywords: National Health Insurance; Taiwan; antipsychotic; elderly; prevalence