title: Short- and long-term use of medication for psychological distress after the diagnosis of cancer.
abstract: This study investigated the short- and long-term use of medication for psychological distress after the diagnosis of cancer.
  
  
  
  Longitudinal data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance database were used to follow 35,137 cancer patients for 2.5 years after being diagnosed in 2006 and 2007.
  
  
  
  Among those patients who survived for at least 180 days, 20.9 % had used psychotropic medications; sedatives were the most frequently prescribed (14.3 %), followed by antidepressants (5.5 %), anxiolytics (3.6 %), and antipsychotics (2.7 %). Lung cancer, prostate cancer, and oral cancer showed a significant association with the regular use of medication in the first 180 days. Among patients who survived for at least 2.5 years, 4.8 % still used psychotropic medication on a regular basis. Lung cancer and prostate cancer were associated with such prolonged use.
  
  
  
  This longitudinal study found that the type of cancer was significantly associated with the use of psychotropic drugs after the diagnosis was made. It provided information about the trajectory of that use and found that a small number of patients were still using those medications after 2.5 years.
authors: Institute of Public Health, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, 112, Taiwan.|Division of Hemato-Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Keelung, 204, Taiwan.|College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Tao-Yuan, 333, Taiwan.
authors: Cheng-Hsu
authors: CH
authors: Wang
authors: Institute of Population Health Sciences, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Miaoli, 350, Taiwan.
authors: Lynn Chu
authors: LC
authors: Huang
authors: Institute of Public Health, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, 112, Taiwan.|Institute of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.|Division of Clinical Toxicology & Occupational Medicine, Department of Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors: Chen-Chang
authors: CC
authors: Yang
authors: Department of Accounting, College of Business, Chung Yuan Christian University, Chung-Li, 320, Taiwan.
authors: Chi-Liang
authors: CL
authors: Chen
authors: Institute of Public Health, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, 112, Taiwan.
authors: Yiing-Jenq
authors: YJ
authors: Chou
authors: Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Bioethics, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, 100, Taiwan.
authors: Yen-Yuan
authors: YY
authors: Chen
authors: Institute of Population Health Sciences, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Miaoli, 350, Taiwan.
authors: Wei-Chih
authors: WC
authors: Yang
authors: Institute of Public Health, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, 112, Taiwan. likwang@nhri.org.tw.|Institute of Population Health Sciences, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Miaoli, 350, Taiwan. likwang@nhri.org.tw.
authors: Likwang
authors: L
authors: Chen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009313:National Health Programs; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D013624:Taiwan
chemical_list: D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs
keywords: Cancer; Long-term demand; Medication possession ratio; Psychological distress; Psychotropic medication