Patterns of psychotropic drug use in a Swedish community

In this study individual data on prescription drug purchases in the total population of a Swedish municipality have been analyzed in order to study changes in the use of psychotropic drugs (in this study mainly hypnotics, sedatives and minor tranquillizers) over time. The number of psychotropic prescriptions decreased by 27% during the twelve-year period 1972-1983. The proportion of psychotropic drug users in the total population decreased from 16 to 11%. This decrease in psychotropic drug use was not evenly distributed within the population. The proportion of users decreased from 10 to 4% in the age group 15-44 years and from 23 to 15% in the age group 45-64 years, while the higher proportion of users in the oldest age group, 65 years and older, only decreased from 33 to 28%. Psychotropic drug use was almost twice as common among females as compared to males throughout the study period. Psychotropic drug use among heavy users of prescription drugs in general--identified with the use of a sex- and age-specific definition--was also studied. The decrease in psychotropic drug use during the time period studied was much greater among non-heavy users as compared to heavy users.