[Psychotropic drug use in a sample of general population in the Sardinia region]

To present the results of an epidemiologic research about psychotropic drug use in Sardinia.

Cross-sectional study on a sample of 1040 subjects randomly selected from registers.

Community survey on three areas of Sardinia region.

Interviews carried out by physicians by means of Italian version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview Simplified. Drug consumption was evaluated concerning last week before the interview.

Point prevalence.

The rate of adults of the general population that consumed benzodiazepines was 10.1%, antidepressants 4.2%, 14.7% of the sample was using psychotropic drugs. 60% of subjects with diagnosis of ICD-10 Depressive Episod did not have the right pharmacologic treatment. A relevant proportion of subjects without lifetime psychiatric diagnosis (anxiety and/or depression) used antidepressants (0.8%). The pharmacologic therapies were managed by psychiatrics in 44.2% of cases, antidepressants were managed by general practitioners in 31.8% of subjects.

The research underlines an increase of meet needs in subjects affected by depressive episodes against a previous Sardinian survey carried out over ten years ago. This change is parallel to a more frequent management of therapies by general practitioners. Their role seems to become more relevant in treating depressive illness.