Abstract
ObjectivesThis study explores the mental health situation in Kosova and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. MethodsMarketed quantities of antidepressants (N06A) and anxiolytics (N05B) from 2017 to 2022 were analyzed using the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical/Defined Daily Doses (ATC/DDD) methodology. Caution is advised as these quantities may not directly reflect patient usage and could include uses for conditions outside their primary indications. ResultsPrior to the pandemic, antidepressant quantities remained relatively stable, but rose from 6.8 DDD/1000 inhabitants/day in 2019 to 9.7 in 2020 and 12.4 in 2021, before returning to pre-pandemic levels of 6.8 DDD in 2022. Over 80 % of these were selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Meanwhile, anxiolytic quantities initially decreased from 17.4 DDD in 2017 to 9.9 in 2019, then rebounded to 17.9 DDD in 2020. Notably, alprazolam usage surged from 2.9 in 2017 to 6.9 in 2021, subsequently dropping to 2.0 in 2022. ConclusionsThe volatile trends in medication quantities during the pandemic suggest a fragile mental health landscape in Kosova—a developing, post-conflict country with a youthful population—underscoring the need for proactive interventions in similar contexts globally.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
