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The Effects of Non-Prescribing of Anxiolytics in General Practice: II. Factors Associated with Outcome

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

Jose Catalan ,
Dennis Gath ,
Alison Bond  and
Pauline Martin
Jose Catalan*
Affiliation:
University Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, OX3 7JX
Dennis Gath
Affiliation:
University Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, OX3 7JX
Alison Bond
Affiliation:
University Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, OX3 7JX
Pauline Martin
Affiliation:
University Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, OX3 7JX
*
∗Correspondence.
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Summary

Factors associated with psychiatric outcome were examined in a series of 87 patients who had presented in general practice with new episodes of minor affective disorder. Two outcome measures were used: (i) Status on Present State Examination (PSE) seven months after initial consultation; (ii) prescribing of psychotropic medication between one-month and seven-month follow-up assessments. Outcome according to the PSE was significantly associated with: worse measures of psychiatric state (General Health Questionnaire, Profile of Mood states) and of social functioning (SAS-M) at initial consultation and one month later; and with persistent anxious or depressed mood during the follow-up period; but not with life events. During the follow-up period 20 patients received at least one psychotropic prescription; they were significantly associated with worse initial GHQ scores, consumption of tobacco and non-prescribed medication, and initial anxiety. A sub-group of 11 patients received multiple psychotropic prescriptions; they were significantly associated with the same initial measures, and also with poor outcome measures (psychiatric and social).

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 144 , Issue 6 , June 1984 , pp. 603 - 610
Copyright
Copyright © 1984 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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