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Factors affecting the consumption of psychotropic drugs

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

J. Murray*
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry, London
G. Dunn
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry, London
P. Williams
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry, London
A. Tarnopolsky
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry, London
*
1Address for correspondence: Miss J. Murray, Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, Denmark Hill, London SE5 8AF.

Synopsis

This paper presents some results from a survey conducted in West London in 1977. The 2-week prevalence of psychotropic drug consumption was found to be 10·9 %, an almost identical figure to that obtained in an earlier survey conducted 8 years previously. The reasons for the absence of the expected rise in prevalence of consumption are discussed.

Consumption was found to be strongly associated with various measures of health, and there was a marked sex difference in drug consumption (females > males) which was independent of health.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1981

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