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Psychotropic drug use in Italy: national trends and regional differences

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

Paul Williams ,
Cesario Bellantuono ,
Roberto Fiorio  and
Michele Tansella
Paul Williams*
Affiliation:
Cattedra di Psicologia Medical, Istituto di Psichiatria, Università di Verona, Verona, Italy, Institute of Psychiatry, London
Cesario Bellantuono
Affiliation:
Cattedra di Psicologia Medical, Istituto di Psichiatria, Università di Verona, Verona, Italy, Institute of Psychiatry, London
Roberto Fiorio
Affiliation:
Cattedra di Psicologia Medical, Istituto di Psichiatria, Università di Verona, Verona, Italy, Institute of Psychiatry, London
Michele Tansella
Affiliation:
Cattedra di Psicologia Medical, Istituto di Psichiatria, Università di Verona, Verona, Italy, Institute of Psychiatry, London
*
1Address for correspondence: Dr Paul Williams, Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, Denmark Hill, London SE5 8AF.
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Synopsis

Psychotropic drug sales data for Italy were examined for the years 1975–84. The principal findings were of more-or-less consistent annual increases in sales of antidepressants, minor tranquillizers and, to a lesser extent, of neuroleptics. These trends are interpreted in the context of the characteristics of the Italian National Health Service (NHS), and in relation to findings from psychotropic drug utilization studies in other Western countries.

Regional differences in psychotropic drug sales for 1983/4 were also examined. Marked differences were found and, in general, levels of use were higher in North/Central Italy than in the South. Factors influencing regional differences were explored using regression analysis. Regional NHS expenditure (excluding that on drugs) was found to influence strongly the sales of all categories of psychotropic drug, whereas there was also a marked urban > rural difference in the sales tranquillizers.

Type
Research Article
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 16 , Issue 4 , November 1986 , pp. 841 - 850
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1986

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