Utilization of traditional Chinese medicine in patients treated for depression: A population-based study in Taiwan

Abstract

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been used to treat depression-like symptoms in Taiwan. We aim to examine factors associated with utilization of TCM in patients with depression and to test whether the use of TCM would impact the use of psychiatric services with a subsequent impact on healthcare costs. Adult patients (n = 216,557) who received antidepressant treatment for depression in 2003 was identified in the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan. A Two-Part model was conducted. A multivariate logistic regression was employed to explore factors associated with the use of TCM, with a particular focus on baseline comorbidities, painful physical symptoms (PPS), and frequency of psychiatric service contacts over the ensuing 12-month study period. Multivariate generalized linear modeling was then applied to examine factors associated with healthcare costs for TCM users. More than 40% of individuals prescribed with antidepressant treatments for depression used TCM services. Younger age, female gender, the presence of certain comorbid mental/physical illnesses or PPS, as well as having fewer psychiatric service contacts were found to be associated with the use of TCM services. These factors also affected TCM costs for users; the TCM costs equaled to 30% of costs of psychiatric out-patient services for TCM users. The current study suggested a set of significant factors which could influence use and cost of TCM services for patients with depression. Utilization of TCM services could have a substantial impact on use of psychiatric services and healthcare costs for patients with depression.