title: Use of psychiatric medications in schizophrenia and other psychoses in a general population sample.
abstract: The information on the use of psychiatric medications in general population-based samples is limited. Our aim was to analyse the use of psychiatric medications and factors associated with antipsychotic use in psychoses in a general population sample. Fifty-five persons with schizophrenia, 21 with bipolar psychosis or psychotic depression and 20 with other psychoses from the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 were examined at about 43 years of age. The frequency of use and dosage of psychiatric medication and the factors associated with the use of antipsychotics were analysed. Antipsychotics were used by 85% of schizophrenia, 65% of bipolar psychosis or psychotic depression and 62% of other psychoses cases; antidepressants were used by 22%, 60% and 33%; and benzodiazepines by 42%, 35% and 10%, respectively. In all the diagnostic groups, higher symptom scores and a higher number of hospital days were associated with the use of antipsychotics. In schizophrenia and other psychoses, poorer social and occupational functioning, and in other psychoses, female gender and lower education were also associated with the use of antipsychotics. Our results may partly indicate that, especially in schizophrenia, the effectiveness of antipsychotics is not as good as expected.
authors.affiliation: Research Unit of Clinical Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 5000, FIN-90014, Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: Salla
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nykänen
authors.affiliation: Research Unit of Clinical Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 5000, FIN-90014, Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: Virpi
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Puska
authors.affiliation: Research Unit of Clinical Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 5000, FIN-90014, Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: Jussi-Pekka
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Tolonen
authors.affiliation: Research Unit of Clinical Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 5000, FIN-90014, Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: Henri
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Salo
authors.affiliation: Research Unit of Clinical Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 5000, FIN-90014, Oulu, Finland; Department of Psychiatry, Oulu University Hospital, P.O. Box 26, FIN-90029, Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: Matti
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Isohanni
authors.affiliation: University of Helsinki, Helsinki University Hospital, Psychiatry, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Hannu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Koponen
authors.affiliation: Department of Mental Health, Finnish National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Helsinki, Finland; School of Health Sciences FIN-33014, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: Sami
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pirkola
authors.affiliation: Research Unit of Clinical Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 5000, FIN-90014, Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: Matti
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Penttilä
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Oulu University Hospital, P.O. Box 26, FIN-90029, Oulu, Finland; Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, P.O. Box 5000, FIN-90014, Oulu, Finland; Center for Life Course Health Research, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 5000, FIN-90014, Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: Marianne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haapea
authors.affiliation: Research Unit of Clinical Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 5000, FIN-90014, Oulu, Finland; Department of Psychiatry, Oulu University Hospital, P.O. Box 26, FIN-90029, Oulu, Finland; Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, P.O. Box 5000, FIN-90014, Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: Jani
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Moilanen
authors.affiliation: Research Unit of Clinical Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 5000, FIN-90014, Oulu, Finland; Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, P.O. Box 5000, FIN-90014, Oulu, Finland; Center for Life Course Health Research, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 5000, FIN-90014, Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: Jouko
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Miettunen
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, P.O. Box 5000, FIN-90014, Oulu, Finland; Center for Life Course Health Research, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 5000, FIN-90014, Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: Erika
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jääskeläinen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001569:Benzodiazepines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D001569:Benzodiazepines
keywords: Antipsychotic; Follow-up; Medication; Predictor; Psychosis; Treatment