P.0029 Age and sex differences in the use of anxiolytics and antidepressant drugs during COVID-19 lockdown in The Netherlands

ABSTRACT

Background: The 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) poses great demands on medical care and resulted in delayed prescribing. Objective: To evaluate the number of newly dispensed antidepressant and anxiolytic drugs among the Dutch population, before and during COVID-19. Methods: Pharmacy dispensing data was obtained from Stichting Farmaceutische Kentallen on newly dispended antidepressants and anxiolytics, covering 96% of the Dutch population. The number and week of first-time dispensed drugs were determined for the period January – June 2019 and 2020, and age and sex of patients was recorded. Using independent t-tests, data was compared between men and women, age groups, and between 2019 and 2020. Age groups considered were children (0-9 years old), adolescents (10-19 years old), adults (20-64 years old), and elderly (65 year and older). Three time periods were considered week 1-11 (in 2020 corresponding to the pre-COVID-19 lockdown period), week 12-19 (in 2020 corresponding to the COVID-19 lockdown), and week 20-26 (in 2020 corresponding to the post-COVID-19 lockdown). Results: An overall reduction was observed in 2020 for the number of newly dispensed antidepressants (139.186 in 2019 and 126.487 in 2020, respectively) and anxiolytics (200.661 in 2019 and 189.559 in 2020, respectively). In both 2019 and 2020, the drugs were significantly more often dispensed to women than men, and most were prescribed to adults followed by the elderly. For antidepressants, in both male and female adolescents, adults and elderly, for week 1-11 no significant differences were found between 2019 and 2020. Compared to 2019, a significant reduction in the number of dispensed antidepressants was seen in during 2020 COVID-19 lockdown in these groups (p<0.05). In adolescents, but not for the other age groups, a significant reduction in dispensing was also found post COVID-19 lockdown (p<0.001). For children, a general reduction in the number of dispensed antidepressant drugs was seen in 2020 before and during COVID-19 lockdown (p<0.001). In male children there was a significant reduction in dispensing during COVID-19 lockdown (p=0.04), which was not significant among female children. For anxiolytics, in both male and female children and adolescents, a general reduction of dispensing was seen throughout 2020 (p<0.05). In male adults, in 2020 a significant reduction in dispensing was found during COVID-19 lockdown (p=0.01), and for both male and female adults post-COVID-19 lockdown (p<0.05). For elderly, no significant differences in dispending were found between 2019 and 2020. Conclusions: Across all age groups a significant reduction was seen for the number of newly dispensed antidepressant drugs. For all age groups except the elderly a significant reduction in dispensed anxiolytic drugs was seen during COVID-19 lockdown. This data corresponds with reports of delayed care. However, in elderly no reduction was found for dispensed anxiolytics during COVID-19 lockdown. Future research should determine if the continued dispensing of anxiolytics among elderly during lockdown may reflect the fact that fear of COVID-19 may be greater among this age group, as they are over-represented in COVID-19 related hospital admissions and have the highest mortality rates. No conflict of interest