Modificações nos padrões de consumo de psicofármacos em localidade do Sul do Brasil

Abstract

Objective: To assess the prevalence and patterns of psychotropic use by population and to compare the results with a study carried out in 1994. Methods: This is a population-based cross-sectional study carried out in 2003 with 3,542 participants aged 15 or older who lived in an urban area in Southern Brazil. Two-week recall data were collected in household interviews through the same questionnaire used in the 1994 study. Ae variables studied were age, gender race, education, family income, marital status, smoking, medical diagnosis of hypertension, and physician visit at last three months. Pearson's Chi-square and linear tendency were used in the bivariate analysis. Four levels of multivariate analysis was performed. Results: The overall prevalence of psychotropic use was 9.9% (CI 95%: 8.9-10.9). There was no significant difference among standardized age groups when compared to the prevalence rates observed in 1994. Higher psychotropic use was associated with being female, older age, medical diagnosis of hypertension, and health service utilization. Of those interviewed, 74% of those drug users were using psychotropic drugs for over three months. Conclusions: A decade later, prevalence remained high, yet psychotropic drug use didnot increase. The association between health service utilization and consumption shows the importance of the appropriate prescription of psychotropic drugs and regular followup of those prescribed them by physicians. © 2006 Faculdade de Saúde Pública da Universidade de Sao Paulo.