Year: 2008 Source: Journal of Public Health, v.30, no.1, January 2008, p.60-68 SIEC No: 20081288

The association between prescribing, suicide & poisoning mortality after adjusting for age, gender, calendar year, prescribing rates, & use of newer antidepressant drugs was measured. Data were gathered from the Office for National Statistics & the Department of Health. The prevalence of antidepressant treatment increased during the 1990s. Treatment prevalence remained constant from 2002 but declined among children & adolescents. Between 1993-2004, age-standardized rates for suicide decreased from 98.2 to 81.3 per million populations & for antidepressants from 9.2 to 7.4 per million populations. Before adjustment, increased antidepressant prescribing was associated with a decrease in suicide & antidepressant poisoning mortality rates. The association disappeared after adjustment. (50 refs.)