Increased use of Antidepressants and Decreasing Suicide Rates: a Population-Based Study Using Danish Register Data

The objective of this study was to examine if the change in the suicide rate is associated with individuals’ use of antidepressants as has been suggested by ecological studies. All individuals aged 50 years & older living in Denmark between 1996-2000 were included. Only 1 in 5 older adults dying by suicide was in treatment at the time of death. The male suicide rate declined by 9.7 suicides per 100,000. Recipients of antidepressants contributed to the decline by 0.9 suicides. Women redeeming antidepressant prescriptions accounted for 0.4 suicides of the observed reduction of 3.3 per 100,000. (48 refs.)