title: Initiation and duration of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor prescribing over time: UK cohort study.
abstract: Recent media reports have focused on the large increase in antidepressants dispensed in England. We investigated this, focusing on selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).
  
  
  
  To examine the rate of initiation of SSRIs over time and changes over time in the duration of prescribing episodes.
  
  
  
  We estimated initiation and duration of SSRI prescribing from 7 025 802 individuals aged over 18 years and registered with a general practice that contributed data to The Health Improvement Network.
  
  
  
  Rates of SSRI initiation increased from 1.03 per 100 person-years in 1995 to 2.15 in 2001, but remained stable from then to 2012. The median duration of prescribing episodes increased from 112 to 169 days for episodes starting in 1995 to 2010.
  
  
  
  Despite media reports describing an increasing rate of antidepressant prescribing, SSRI initiation rates have stabilised since 2001. However, our results suggest that individuals who take SSRIs are receiving treatment for longer.
authors.affiliation: Rachel L. McCrea, PhD, Cormac J. Sammon, PhD, Irwin Nazareth, PhD, FRCGP, Department of Primary Care and Population Health, University College London, London, UK; Irene Petersen, PhD, Department of Primary Care and Population Health, University College London, London, UK, and Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
authors.forename: Rachel L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: McCrea
authors.affiliation: Rachel L. McCrea, PhD, Cormac J. Sammon, PhD, Irwin Nazareth, PhD, FRCGP, Department of Primary Care and Population Health, University College London, London, UK; Irene Petersen, PhD, Department of Primary Care and Population Health, University College London, London, UK, and Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
authors.forename: Cormac J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Sammon
authors.affiliation: Rachel L. McCrea, PhD, Cormac J. Sammon, PhD, Irwin Nazareth, PhD, FRCGP, Department of Primary Care and Population Health, University College London, London, UK; Irene Petersen, PhD, Department of Primary Care and Population Health, University College London, London, UK, and Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
authors.forename: Irwin
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Nazareth
authors.affiliation: Rachel L. McCrea, PhD, Cormac J. Sammon, PhD, Irwin Nazareth, PhD, FRCGP, Department of Primary Care and Population Health, University College London, London, UK; Irene Petersen, PhD, Department of Primary Care and Population Health, University College London, London, UK, and Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark i.petersen@ucl.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Petersen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015331:Cohort Studies; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D058006:General Practice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006113:United Kingdom; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors