Absolute and relative changes in total drug volume (expressed as DDDs), total numbers of patients prescribed in each year, mean dose per patient in that year (DDDs per patient), mean days of treatment per patient in each year, and mean DDDs per patient per 28 days' treatment
| 1995–1996 | 2000–2001 | 2006–2007 | Absolute change (% change compared to 1995 baseline) 1995/1996 to 2000/2001 | Absolute change (% compared to 1995 baseline) 1995/1996 to 2006/2007 | Statistical test and significance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All antidepressants | ||||||
| Total DDDs | 3 412 374 | 7 537 655 | 10 649 963 | 4125 281 (121.0) | 7 237 589(212.0) | |
| Total patients | 25 989 | 38 551 | 43 923 | 12 562(48.3) | 17 934(69.0) | χ2 = 4686, 2df, P<0.001 |
| Mean DDDs/patient (SE) | 136.6(1.15) | 197.7(1.12) | 242.7(1.21) | 61.1 (44.7)a | 106.1 (77.7)a | ANOVA F= 1767, 2df, P= 0.001 |
| Mean days' treatment/patient (SE) | 170.0(0.81) | 200.2 (0.70) | 230.0(0.71) | 30.2(17.8)a | 60.0 (35.3)a | ANOVA F=1472, 2df, P= 0.001 |
| Mean DDDs/patient/28 days (SE) | 20.1 (0.11) | 25.1 (0.1) | 26.4 (0.09) | 5.0 (24.9)a | 6.3(31.3)a | ANOVA F=919, 2df, P=0.00 |
| SSRI antidepressants | ||||||
| Total DDDs | 1 616 924 | 4 729 950 | 6 931 688 | 3 113 026(192.5) | 5 314 764(328.7) | |
| Total patients | 11391 | 22873 | 25879 | 11 482 (101.1) | 14 488 (127.2) | χ2 = 5382, 2df,P<0.001 |
| Mean DDDs/patient (SE) | 152.1 (2.05) | 210.3 (1.46) | 267.9 (1.56) | 58.2 (38.3)a | 115.8 (76.1)a | ANOVA F = 1013, 2df, P = 0.001 |
| Mean days' treatment/patient (SE) | 136.9 (1.02) | 174.2 (0.80) | 205.8 (0.78) | 37.3 (27.2)a | 68.9 (50.3)a | ANOVA F = 1344, 2df, P = 0.001 |
| Mean DDDs/patient/28 days (SE) | 27.6 (0.20) | 31.1 (0.1) | 33.3 (0.12) | 3.5 (12.7)a | 5.7 (20.7)a | ANOVA F = 314, 2df, P = 0.00 |
| Tricyclic antidepressants | ||||||
| Total DDDs | 1 726 871 | 2 108 981 | 2 137 540 | 382 110 (22.1) | 410 669 (23.8) | |
| Total patients | 16 756 | 17 088 | 16 898 | 332 (2.0) | 142 (0.8) | χ2 = 3.3, 2df, P = 0.194 |
| Mean DDDs/patient (SE) | 106.1 (1.06) | 124.7 (1.28) | 126.8 (1.40) | 18.6 (17.5)a | 20.7 (19.5)b | ANOVA F = 82, 2df, P = 0.001 |
| Mean days' treatment/patient (SE) | 166.0 (1.00) | 182.8 (1.03) | 202.4 (1.06) | 16.8 (10.1)a | 19.6 (21.9)a | ANOVA F = 312, 2df, P = 0.001 |
| Mean DDDs/patient/28 days (SE) | 15.6 (0.1) | 16.3 (0.11) | 14.3 (0.12) | 0.7 (4.5)a | −1.3 (−8.3)a | ANOVA F = 92, 2df, P = 0.001 |
| Other antidepressants | ||||||
| Total DDDs | 28987 | 655 474 | 1 527 721 | 626 487 (2126.3) | 1 498 734 (5170.4) | |
| Total patients | 584 | 3416 | 6117 | 2832 (485.0) | 2701 (947.4) | χ2 = 4540, 2df, P<0.001 |
| Mean DDDs/patient (SE) | 53.7 (3.36) | 193.0 (3.80) | 250.2 (3.28) | 139.3 (259.4)a | 196.5 (366.0)a | ANOVA F = 202, 2df, P = 0.001 |
| Mean days' treatment/patient (SE) | 110.5 (4.15) | 167.7 (2.19) | 214.5 (1.81) | 57.2 (51.8)a | 104 (94.1)a | ANOVA F = 246, 2df, P = 0.001 |
| Mean DDDs/patient/28 days (SE) | 14.3 (0.62) | 28.2 (0.49) | 27.9 (0.23) | 13.9 (97.2)a | 13.6 (95.1)a | ANOVA F = 100, 2df, P = 0.001 |
ANOVA = analysis of variance. df = degrees of freedom. SE = standard error.
↵a Tukey post hoc significance testing, P<0.05.