Correlates and psychiatric disorders associated with psychotropic drug use in Taiwan

Purpose We used the population-based National Health Insurance database to investigate correlates and psychiatric disorders associated with psychotropic drug use in Taiwan. Methods The National Health Research Institute provided a database of 200,000 random subjects for study. We obtained a random sample of 145,304 subjects aged 18 years or older in 2004. Study subjects who had made at least two psychotropic drug prescriptions during this year were identified. We detected factors associated with psychotropic drug use. In addition, we examined the prevalence of antipsychotic, antidepressant, mood stabilizer, sedative–hypnotic–anxiolytic (SHA) agent, and any psychotropic drug use according to psychiatric disorders. Results Higher prevalence of any psychotropic drug use was found in the 25–44, 45–64, and 65 or older age groups, females, aborigine, with a lower premium, with disability, and among those who lived in central region, suburban or rural area. Among those subjects with any major psychiatric disorders, the prevalence of antipsychotic, antidepressant, mood stabilizer, SHA agent, and any psychotropic drug use were 59.3, 49.7, 17.9, 78.6, and 92.0%, respectively. Among those subjects with any minor psychiatric disorders, the prevalence of antipsychotic, antidepressant, mood stabilizer, SHA agent and any psychotropic drug use were 17.5, 41.8, 4.0, 85.5, and 89.4%, respectively. Conclusions Thus, those subjects with any psychiatric disorders had a high percentage of any psychotropic drug use in National Health Insurance program in Taiwan. Future studies should focus on the outcome evaluation and correlates associated with individual psychotropic use.