Incidence and prevalence of primary care antidepressant prescribing in children and young people in England, 1998-2017: A population-based cohort study.

Ruth H JackChris HollisCarol A C Coupland Richard K Morriss Roger David KnaggsDebbie ButlerAndrea CiprianiSamuele CorteseJulia Hippisley-Cox

Published in: PLoS medicine (2020)

Our analysis provides evidence of a continuing rise of antidepressant prescribing in adolescents aged 12-17 years since 2005, driven by SSRI prescriptions, but a decrease in children aged 5-11 years. The variation in prescribing by deprivation, region, and ethnicity could represent inequities. Future research should examine whether prescribing trends and variation are due to true differences in need and risk factors, access to diagnosis or treatment, prescribing behaviour, or young people's help-seeking behaviour.

Keyphrases

primary care
risk factors
young adults
major depressive disorder
general practice
adverse drug
mental health
physical activity
emergency department
bipolar disorder
current status