[Czech Republic] Europe’s largest anti-depressant consumption increase

[Czech Republic] Europe’s largest anti-depressant consumption increase
17 Nov 2022

The Czech Republic registered Europe’s highest increase in anti-depressant consumption between 2000 and 2020, Expats.cz reports.

The figures came from Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) data cited by Euronews. But experts say the rise does not translate into a higher number of Czechs being unhappy with their lives.

Drug use in the Czech Republic went up by 577 per cent per the defined daily dose (DDD) consumption of “N06A-Antidepressants” per 1,000 people. This group “comprises preparations used in the treatment of endogenous and exogenous depressions,” according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

The increase in Czechia did, however, go from the relatively low level of 10 DDD per 1,000 people in the year 2000 to 66 in 2020. The OECD dataset reportedly compared the situation in 18 European countries.

The overall increase in average antidepressant consumption across the 18-country dataset was 147 per cent; from 30.5 DDD per 1,000 people in 2000 to 75.3 DDD in 2020.

Results from the rest of Europe

  • Other countries that recorded a dramatic increase were Portugal, rising from 32 DDD per 1,000 people in 2000 to 131 DDD in 2020; and the UK, which went from 38 to 108 DDD per 1,000 people during the same time span.
  • The AD pharmaceutical consumption per 1,000 people varied from 20 DDD in Latvia to 153 DDD in Iceland in 2020.
  • In neighbouring Slovakia, the DDD went from 9 to 48 between 2000 and 2020; in Hungary, the numbers in the same time frame went from 14 to 30.

Germany was the European country that spent the most on anti-depressants in 2020 - at USD 812 million - which represented 1.4 per cent of total pharmaceutical sales. Czechia's spending was USD 66 million, which represented a comparatively higher 1.8 per cent of total pharmaceutical sales.

Potential silver lining

But how do the levels of anti-depressant use correlate with either the levels of depression in the population or as a measure of overall happiness?

As yet there are no conclusive answers.

This year's edition of the World Happiness Report reportedly ranked Czechia in the world's top twenty happiest countries, more precisely in the 18th spot out of 146 countries. Germany ranked 11th in the same ranking.

Researchers reportedly said that the numbers could reveal that depression is gaining wider recognition and that people's attitudes towards it are changing too. Other factors are the increased availability of AD drugs, therapies, and evolving clinical guidelines.

According to WHO, treatments for depression vary depending on the severity and patterns of the episodes and, in some cases, include a combination of therapy (such as behavioural activation, cognitive behavioural therapy and interpersonal psychotherapy) and medication.

Therefore a possible conclusion to draw from the current numbers is that - as the stigma surrounding depression and its treatment lessens - the willingness of people to seek help for depression, including through drug treatment, has grown.


Source: Expats.cz

(Links via original reporting)

The Czech Republic registered Europe’s highest increase in anti-depressant consumption between 2000 and 2020, Expats.cz reports.

The figures came from Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) data cited by Euronews. But experts say the rise does not translate into a higher number of Czechs being unhappy with their lives.

Drug use in the Czech Republic went up by 577 per cent per the defined daily dose (DDD) consumption of “N06A-Antidepressants” per 1,000 people. This group “comprises preparations used in the treatment of endogenous and exogenous depressions,” according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

The increase in Czechia did, however, go from the relatively low level of 10 DDD per 1,000 people in the year 2000 to 66 in 2020. The OECD dataset reportedly compared the situation in 18 European countries.

The overall increase in average antidepressant consumption across the 18-country dataset was 147 per cent; from 30.5 DDD per 1,000 people in 2000 to 75.3 DDD in 2020.

Results from the rest of Europe

  • Other countries that recorded a dramatic increase were Portugal, rising from 32 DDD per 1,000 people in 2000 to 131 DDD in 2020; and the UK, which went from 38 to 108 DDD per 1,000 people during the same time span.
  • The AD pharmaceutical consumption per 1,000 people varied from 20 DDD in Latvia to 153 DDD in Iceland in 2020.
  • In neighbouring Slovakia, the DDD went from 9 to 48 between 2000 and 2020; in Hungary, the numbers in the same time frame went from 14 to 30.

Germany was the European country that spent the most on anti-depressants in 2020 - at USD 812 million - which represented 1.4 per cent of total pharmaceutical sales. Czechia's spending was USD 66 million, which represented a comparatively higher 1.8 per cent of total pharmaceutical sales.

Potential silver lining

But how do the levels of anti-depressant use correlate with either the levels of depression in the population or as a measure of overall happiness?

As yet there are no conclusive answers.

This year's edition of the World Happiness Report reportedly ranked Czechia in the world's top twenty happiest countries, more precisely in the 18th spot out of 146 countries. Germany ranked 11th in the same ranking.

Researchers reportedly said that the numbers could reveal that depression is gaining wider recognition and that people's attitudes towards it are changing too. Other factors are the increased availability of AD drugs, therapies, and evolving clinical guidelines.

According to WHO, treatments for depression vary depending on the severity and patterns of the episodes and, in some cases, include a combination of therapy (such as behavioural activation, cognitive behavioural therapy and interpersonal psychotherapy) and medication.

Therefore a possible conclusion to draw from the current numbers is that - as the stigma surrounding depression and its treatment lessens - the willingness of people to seek help for depression, including through drug treatment, has grown.


Source: Expats.cz

(Links via original reporting)

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