Psychotropic Medicines Research Articles

Nationwide Study of Neuropsychiatric Comorbidity and Medicines Use in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder in Norway

Purpose: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has a high rate of comorbidity. While many children with ASD are exposed to psychotropic medicines, their efficacy and safety in these patients are unclear. There is a need for more detailed knowledge on which medicines are most commonly used and for which disorders. We aimed to investigate (a) prevalence and incidence rate of ASD among Norwegian children, and further, among newly diagnosed ASD children in 2014, study the (b) co-occurrence of neuropsychiatric disorders, (c) use of psychotropic drugs, and (d) the relationship between co-occurring diagnoses and use of psychotropic drugs.Method: Nationwide registry-based study of children 2–17 years old in Norway.Results: The ASD prevalence was 0.76% and the incidence rate was 0.12% in 2014. Of the children who received an initial ASD diagnosis in 2014 (n = 1,234), 64.8% had one or more co-occurring neuropsychiatric diagnosis. Psychotropic medication use was moderate (~20% used stimulants or hypnotics) in general, and low in children without comorbidity (nearly only hypnotics). There was a good accordance between co-occurring diagnoses and indication for the prescribed medications.Conclusions: Children with newly diagnosed ASD mainly received psychotropic drugs to treat co-occurring neuropsychiatric conditions.

Trends in the cost and utilization of psychotropic medicines for major psychiatric disorders in Bulgaria from 2013 to 2017

Background and objectivesMajor psychiatric disorders require prolonged use of psychotropic medications and pose a significant economic burden. The purpose of the study is to examine the trend in outpatient utilization and public expenditures for reimbursed psychotropic medicines for major psychiatric disorders in Bulgaria from 2013 to 2017. MethodsData on the cost and utilization of reimbursed psychotropic medications for schizophrenia and affective disorders are collected retrospectively from the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) for the period 2013–2017. The diagnostic groups included in the analysis are based on ICD codes from F20.0 to F33.4. Psychotropic drugs are systematized according to ATC code and INN. Reimbursed pharmacotherapy costs are analyzed per year and diagnosis. Drug utilization is calculated for each year in defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day (DDD/1000inh/day). ResultsThe number of patients decreased from 62 500 to 54 000, or from 834 per 1 00 000 in 2013 to 733 per 1 00 000 in 2017, or with a 3.5% decrease per year. The highest number (28,674 in 2013; 26,235 in 2017) and with the highest relative share (46%–49%) were patients with paranoid schizophrenia. The reimbursed pharmacotherapy cost showed a decreasing tendency from 35 to 31 million BGN in 2013 and 2017, respectively. In total 31 INN of medicines for psychotic disorders therapy were reimbursed. The utilization of all ATC groups is decreasing from 28.04 to 17.38 DDD/1000inh/day. ConclusionsThe number of reimbursed patients with major psychiatric disorders, as well as the cost of pharmacotherapy and utilization of psychotropic medicines decreased in the period 2013–2017.

Potentially inappropriate medication in acute hospitalized elderly patients with polypharmacy: an observational study comparing PRISCUS, STOPP, and Beers criteria.

To compare the prevalence of potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) in the elderly according to the PRISCUS list, STOPP criteria, and Beers criteria. Secondary, to describe the differences using the three criteria focused on the inappropriate prescription of psychotropic drugs in the elderly. A retrospective study was performed at Severo Ochoa University Hospital. The study included 365 patients, aged 80years and older, living in Madrid, Spain. 93.42% of patients received at least one PIM during hospitalization. Using the PRISCUS list, this changed from 32.6 to 2.7% at discharge. Applying STOPP criteria lowered the percentage from 65.20 to 10.95%, and with Beers criteria from 80.27 to 10.13. Lower Barthel index at admission was associated with an increased relative risk for receiving at least one PIM (OR 1.79, 95% CI 1.15-2.80, p = 0.024) using PRISCUS list as a tool in conjunction with STOPP criteria (OR 1.44, 95% CI 0.89-2.33, p = 0.037). Polypharmacy at admission predicted the presence of PIMs with STOPP criteria (OR 1.74, 95% CI 1.07-2.84, p = 0.001). Regarding psychotropic medicines, 208 patients (56.98%) received at least one psychotropic medicine during hospitalization. A total of 26.30% of patients were treated with psychotropic medicines, detected by the PRISCUS list, and 53.97% and 29.85% with STOPP and Beers, respectively. Explicit criteria are a useful tool for identifying during hospitalization of the elderly patients. As indicated by the results, new research is needed to carry out an adaptation in our country that includes an evaluation of the strengths of the three tools to decrease PIMs and improve prescription in the elderly.

Perception of service users and their caregivers on primary care-based mental health services: a qualitative study in Nepal

BackgroundIntegration of mental health services into primary health care systems has been advocated as a strategy to minimize the tremendous mental health treatment gap, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Barriers to integration of mental health into primary health care have been widely documented; however, very little is known about the perception of service users and their caregivers on primary care-based mental health services. This study assessed service users’ and caregivers’ perceptions of mental health services provided by trained primary health care workers in Nepal.MethodsA qualitative study was conducted among people with depression, psychosis, alcohol use disorder and epilepsy, and their caregivers in Chitwan, a district in southern Nepal. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 43 service users and 38 caregivers to assess their perceptions about the accessibility of the services, types of services they received, skills and competencies of health care providers, satisfaction and barriers to receiving services.ResultsOverall, both service users and caregivers were satisfied with the mental health services provided by primary health care providers. They also perceived health workers to be competent and skillful because the services they received were effective in reducing their mental health problems. Both psychological and pharmacological services were made available free of cost, however, they considered psychological services more effective than pharmacological treatment. Major challenges and difficulties accessing services were associated with frequent transfer of trained health workers, non-availability of the same health care provider at follow-ups, frequent stock-out of medicines or non-availability of required medicines, lack of a confidential space for consultation in health facilities, and stigmatizing and negative behavior of some health workers.ConclusionThe results demonstrated that both service users and caregivers perceived primary care-based mental health services to be accessible, acceptable and effective. The key recommendations emerging from this study for improving mental health services in primary care include the provision of a separate cadre of psychosocial workers to provide psychological interventions, developing quick and efficient mechanisms for the procurement and supply of psychotropic medicines, establishing a confidential place within health facilities for consultation, and further training of health workers to reduce stigma.

A cross sectional study of psychotropic medicine use in Australia in 2018: A focus on polypharmacy.

To examine prescribed psychotropic medicine use on a given day in Australia (25 September 2018; World Pharmacists Day), with a focus on psychotropic polypharmacy. We used a 10% sample of individual-level nationwide dispensing claims to examine psychotropic medicine use on a given day. We estimated the prevalence of psychotropic medicine use in all ages stratified by age and sex. We also calculated the observed vs expected (had medicines been randomly combined) prevalence of psychotropic combinations used. We focused on combinations of clinical significance as well combinations of psychotropics with medicines prescribed to manage cardiovascular risk and disease. Serotonin reuptake inhibitors, serotonin-noradrenalin reuptake inhibitors/noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors, tricyclic antidepressants and gabapentinoids dominated psychotropic use. The use of any psychotropic as a proportion of people in the Australian population increased with age, peaking at the 85-89 year age group and declining thereafter. Combinations of medicines from the same subclass generally occurred at lower than expected frequencies. However, combinations including atypical antipsychotics occurred more frequently than expected; e.g. 7.4× with anticonvulsants and 2.2× with other atypical antipsychotics. This was also the case for combinations of sedatives, e.g. anxiolytic with hypnotic benzodiazepines (3.8×). Lipid-lowering drugs and antidiabetic medicines were combined with psychotropics at frequencies close to those expected had they been randomly combined. Psychotropic use in older adults and certain psychotropic combinations that are not well supported with evidence remain prevalent and greater consideration of the drivers of this potentially inappropriate prescribing is required.

Le score des pictogrammes pour les patients conducteurs

IntroductionAs there is a case-law sentencing the lack of information to the patients who drive, we propose to clinically stabilized patients, sessions of therapeutic education. A driving simulator was used as therapeutic education tool and driving assessment tool. At the same time we calculated a score called pictograms’ score corresponding to the sum of risk level of each psychotropic driving-impairing medicine of the patient's prescription. Driving skill scores were then compared to the calculated pictograms’ score. Material and methods15 stabilized outpatients (depressive, bipolar or schizophrenic), (8M, 7F, 50.67±6.53 years old), having a French B driving license since 29.53±8.16 years, without somatic pathology and receiving psychotropic medications at usual dosages gave their consent and entered the study. 15 healthy control subjects (8H and 7F of 32±8.67 years and 13.07±7.94 years of license) taking no medication (with exception for hormonal contraception for women) were also tested for driving skills on the driving simulator used by the French Driving Schools ran on a desktop computer. The pictograms’ score is the weighted sum of the regulatory levels of harmonized warning pictograms for all the psychotropic prescribed. ResultsThe average simulator driving skills scores of the patient group are significantly lower than those of the healthy control group with 64.67±10.40 (32 to 82) and 79.67±6.84 (62 to 92), respectively (P=0.0018). While 20% of the patients in our sample failed (score≤50/100), 74% have comparable simulator driving skills as to the healthy subjects. In the previous 12 months before the study, their background was some road accidents among patients but only excess speed tickets for the healthy control subjects. The psychiatrists, including a doctor certified for the medical check of driving license, observed that the therapeutic education sessions are useful in moving the patient “in the right way” by overcoming his “innner conflicts”, and fears when driving. The pictograms’ score of the prescription allow us to measure the risk of multiple medications. It is analyzed taking into account the type of molecule, the dosage, the time passed since the initiation of treatment and since the last dose, the age of the patient and the diagnosis. For a psychotropic score greater than 17, we observed a worsening of the driving simulator score and potentially a risk threshold to be taken into account. ConclusionGuidelines that physicians use to assess fitness for driving are limited in their currency, and applicability. All in all, the pictograms’ score of the patient's prescription help him to understand the risk scale and act more safely. We use the pictograms’ score calculated by data mining in our health institution to refer patients with a score greater than or equal to 17 to a therapeutic education session. The pictograms’ score reflects only the treatment effect. With regards to the simulator’ driving score, the pictograms’ score differentiates the effects of the pathology from side effects of psychotropic medications on driving. Thus, it can help medication checking and reduce risk for patients who needed to drive.

Road traffic crash characteristics of drivers who take prescription medicines that carry a risk to driving

BackgroundThe specific features of crashes involving an alcohol-intoxicated driver have been extensively characterized, but no such data are available for crashes involving a driver who has used a prescription medicine, which could help to plan and target prevention and control initiatives. This study aimed to describe the characteristics of crashes involving drivers under the influence of prescription medicines. MethodsWe took advantage of CESIR, a French record linkage study for which data were extracted and matched from three French national databases: police reports, the national police database of injurious crashes and the national health care insurance database (HCI database). The drivers included in the study were those involved in an injurious road crash in France from July 1, 2005 to December 31, 2015, whose national identity number, date of birth and sex allowed matching. Prescription medicines considered were those with the two highest levels of warning. ResultsSimilar crash profiles were found when drivers used alcohol or medicines, particularly with respect to injury severity, type of vehicle, type of collision, type of road and cross-track profile. Alcohol-related crashes were over-represented during weekends and in low-density areas and medicine-related crashes were over-represented during weekdays and in cities of fewer than 300 000 inhabitants. While a much higher strength of association with responsibility was found for alcohol than for medicines, the proportion of crashes with drivers using medicines was twice as high as crashes with drivers using alcohol. ConclusionThe lower risk carried by medicines is therefore in part compensated by a higher prevalence of use, making medicines one of the hidden factors of road risk. Characterizing these crashes will therefore be useful to better focus road safety intervention on the prevention of driving under the influence of psychotropic medicines.

Deprescribing in mental health care

Deprescribing has mostly developed in older adult care as a strategy to reverse the potential harm to older adults of receiving too many inappropriate medicines. There are many studies in older adult care that show that by deprescribing medicines, prescribers are able to improve patient function, generate a higher quality of life, and reduce bothersome signs and symptoms. However, there have been few comparable studies in mental health. Overprescribing or inappropriate prescribing has also become an issue for mental health care. However, it commonly relates to psychotropic medicines and, in particular, to antidepressants, benzodiazepines, z hypnotics, antiepileptics, such as pregabalin, and to multiple psychotropic prescribing. In other areas of therapy associated with physical health, the concerns have generally been those of under prescribing. This paper discusses how relevant deprescribing is to mental health care and some of the issues to consider.

The burden of psychotropic and anticholinergic medicines use in care homes: population-based analysis in 147 care homes.

older people living in care-homes are particularly vulnerable to adverse effects of psychotropic and anticholinergic drugs. anonymised dispensed prescription data from all 4,478 residents aged ≥ 60years in 147 care-homes in two Scottish health boards were analysed. Psychotropic medicines examined were antipsychotics, antidepressants, hypnotic/anxiolytics, opioids and gabapentinoids. Anticholinergic burden was measured using the modified anticholinergic risk scale (mARS). Variation between care-homes and associations with individual and care-home characteristics were examined using multilevel logistic regression. 63.5% of residents were prescribed at least one psychotropic drug, and 27.0% two or more, most commonly antidepressants (41.6%), opioids (20.3%), hypnotic/anxiolytics (16.9%) and antipsychotics (16.7%). 48.1% were prescribed an anticholinergic drug, and 12.1% had high anticholinergic burden (mARS ≥ 3). Variation between care-homes was high for antipsychotics (intra-cluster correlation coefficient [ICC] 8.2%) and hypnotics/anxiolytics (ICC = 7.3%), and moderate for antidepressants (ICC = 4.7%) and anticholinergics (ICC = 2.8%). Prescribing of all drugs was lower in the oldest old. People with dementia were more likely to be prescribed antipsychotics (adjusted OR = 1.45, 95%CI 1.23-1.71) but less likely to be prescribed anticholinergics (aOR = 0.61, 95%CI 0.51-0.74). Prescribing of antipsychotics was higher in Tayside (aOR = 1.52, 95%CI 1.20-1.92), whereas prescribing of antidepressants (particularly tricyclic-related) was lower (aOR = 0.66, 95%CI 0.56-0.79). There was no association with care-home regulator quality scores. care-home residents have high psychotropic and anticholinergic burden, with considerable variation between care-homes that is not related to existing measures of quality of care. Research to better understand variation between care-homes and the interaction with local prescribing cultures is needed.

Narco-Analysis Test

The term narco-analysis is used to define an investigative and psychotherapeutic method that practices psychotropic medicines, mainly barbiturates, to encourage a lethargy in which psychological essentials with strong related affects come to the superficial, where they can be abused by the psychotherapist. This test includes the venous administration of a medicine (such as sodium pentothal, & sodium amytal) that reasons the issue to enter into numerous phases of anesthesia.

Process evaluation of a district mental healthcare plan in Nepal: a mixed-methods case study.

The PRogramme for Improving Mental Health carE (PRIME) evaluated the process and outcomes of the implementation of a mental healthcare plan (MHCP) in Chitwan, Nepal. To describe the process of implementation, the barriers and facilitating factors, and to evaluate the process indicators of the MHCP. A case study design that combined qualitative and quantitative methods based on a programme theory of change (ToC) was used and included: (a) district-, community- and health-facility profiles; (b) monthly implementation logs; (c) pre- and post-training evaluation; (d) out-patient clinical data and (e) qualitative interviews with patients and caregivers. The MHCP was able to achieve most of the indicators outlined by the ToC. Of the total 32 indicators, 21 (66%) were fully achieved, 10 (31%) partially achieved and 1 (3%) were not achieved at all. The proportion of primary care patients that received mental health services increased by 1200% over the 3-year implementation period. Major barriers included frequent transfer of trained health workers, lack of confidential space for consultation, no mental health supervision in the existing system, and stigma. Involvement of Ministry of Health, procurement of new psychotropic medicines through PRIME, motivation of health workers and the development of a new supervision system were key facilitating factors. Effective implementation of mental health services in primary care settings require interventions to increase demand for services and to ensure there is clinical supervision for health workers, private rooms for consultations, a separate cadre of psychosocial workers and a regular supply of psychotropic medicines.

Prospective Associations Between Working Time Arrangements and Psychiatric Treatment in Denmark: Protocol for a Cohort Study.

BackgroundThe burden of mental ill health in working-age populations has prompted research on possible links between work-related factors and mental ill health. Long working hours and night shift work are some of the factors that have been studied in relation to the risk of developing mental ill health. Yet, previous studies have not generated conclusive evidence, and further studies of high quality are needed.ObjectiveThis study aims to investigate the prospective association between working time arrangements and mental health in terms of psychotropic drug usage or psychiatric hospital treatment in the general working population of Denmark.MethodsData on total weekly working hours in any job and night shift work from the Danish Labor Force Survey 2000–2013 will be linked to data from the Psychiatric Central Research Register (expected 2400 cases during 700,000 person years at risk) and National Prescription Registry (expected 17,400 cases during 600,000 person years at risk). Participants will be followed for up to 5 years. We will use Poisson regression to separately analyze incidence rates of redeemed prescriptions for psychotropic medicine and incidence rates of psychiatric hospital treatment due to mood disorders, anxiety disorders, or stress-related disorders as a function of weekly working hours and night shift work. The analyses will be controlled for sex, age, calendar time of the interview, and socioeconomic status.ResultsThis is a study protocol. Power calculations indicate that the study has sufficient statistical power to detect relatively small differences in risks and minor interactions (eg, ~90% power to detect a rate ratio of 1.1 for psychoactive medication use). We expect the analyses to be completed by the end of 2020 and the results to be published in 2021.ConclusionsIn this study protocol, all hypotheses and statistical models of the project have been completely defined before we link the exposure data to the outcome data. The results of the project will indicate to what extent and in what direction the national burden of mental ill health in Denmark has been influenced by long working hours and night shift work.International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)DERR1-10.2196/18236

Is higher psychotropic medication burden associated with involuntary treatment under the Mental Health Act? A four-year Australian cohort study

BackgroundInvoluntary treatment for individuals who lack sufficient capacity to make informed decisions regarding treatment has been associated with increased rates of injectable antipsychotics, antipsychotic polytherapy, and/or high doses. However, little is known about non-antipsychotic psychotropic prescription, or psychotropic medication burden as a more encompassing approach for people treated involuntarily. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between Mental Health Act (MHA) status and psychotropic polypharmacy and/or high-dose medication prescribing practices in an Australian inpatient mental health unit.MethodsA retrospective cohort study of 800 adults discharged from a large metropolitan Queensland mental health unit was undertaken. Data was collected for 200 individuals, discharged on at least one psychotropic medicine, at four time periods; Cohort 1 (on or before 31st January 2014), Cohort 2 (2015), Cohort 3 (2016) and Cohort 4 (2017). The number of prescribed medicines and total daily doses were recorded and reviewed for alignment with current clinical guidelines. Participant demographics and clinical characteristics were compared by individual MHA status using chi-square test for categorical variables and analysis of variance for continuous variables. Associations between MHA status and prescribing practices (psychotropic polypharmacy and/or high-dose prescribing) were assessed using bivariate and multivariate binomial logistic regression models. Age, gender, birth country, year of admission, admissions in previous 12 months, primary diagnosis, ECT/clozapine treatment, and other psychotropic medications were adjusted as covariates.ResultsRegression analysis found that compared to their voluntary counterparts, individuals treated involuntarily were 2.7 times more likely to be prescribed an antipsychotic at discharge, 8.8 times more likely to be prescribed more than one antipsychotic at discharge and 1.65 times more likely to be prescribed high-dose antipsychotic treatment at discharge. The adjusted model also found that they were half as likely to be prescribed an antidepressant at discharge.ConclusionImplicit review of justifications for increased psychotropic medication burden (antipsychotic polypharmacy and high-doses) in those treated involuntarily is required to ensure clinical outcomes and overall quality of life are improved in this vulnerable group. Clearly documented medication histories, reconciliation at discharge and directions for medication management after discharge are necessary to ensure quality use of medicines.

Consumption of psychotropic medicines at a referral hospital in Namibia: findings and implications.

In Namibia, the burden of mental illnesses is estimated at 25.6% and is expected to double by 2025. Few studies in sub-Saharan Africa estimate the consumption rates of psychotropic medicines as a proxy of irrational use. The consumption rate of psychotropic medicines at a referral hospital was determined. A hospital-based retrospective medicine utilization analysis of Facility Electronic Stock Card (FESC) psychotropic medication was conducted at Intermediate Hospital Katutura over a 7 year period, 2011-2017. Data on consumption and expenditure on psychotropic medicines were abstracted from FESC and analysed using descriptive statistics in SPSS v22. The main outcomes were consumption rates, daily Defined Dose, (DDD) and/or expenditure. Of the 580 351,4 DDD of psychotropic medicines consumed, 84% were anti-psychotics, 9.2% anti-depressants and 6.8% anxiolytics. Anti-psychotics (48.8%) and anxiolytics (47.9%) had the highest consumption by cost relative to anti-depressants (3.3%). The most consumed antidepressants were imipramine (62%) by DDD and fluoxetine (55.8%) by cost. The most consumed anti-psychotics were chlorpromazine (74.6%) by DDD and haloperidol (68.4%) by cost respectively. Diazepam (79.4%) and hydroxyzine (94.2%) were most consumed sedative-hypnotics by DDD and cost respectively. The consumption of new psychotropics contributes to higher costs. There is need for cost-effectiveness analysis of new versus conventional psychotropics to optimize treatment, outcomes and costs.

Risk of Lifetime Psychiatric Morbidity in Adults With Atrial Septal Defect (from a Nation-Wide Cohort)

In this nation-wide cohort study we report the first long-term results of the association between having a atrial septal defects (ASD) on psychiatric disorders and use of psychotropic agents. Through population-based registries we included Danish individuals born before 1994 who received an ASD diagnosis between 1959and 2013. We used Cox proportional hazards regression and Fine and Grey competing risk regression to estimate the risk of receiving a psychiatric diagnosis and use of psychotropic medicine compared with a gender and age matched background population cohort. In 2,277 patients with a median follow-up from ASD diagnosis of 23.4 years (range 0.2 to 59.3 years) we found ASD patients to have a higher risk of psychiatric disorders (adjusted hazard ratio [HR]: 3.9; 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.4 to 4.5) compared with the comparison cohort and a cumulative incidence of using psychotropic agents 30 years after the ASD diagnosis of 47.4% (95% CI: 40.3 to 55.1) in the ASD patients and 25.5%, (95% CI: 23.5 to 27.8) in the comparison cohort. Diagnosis of the ASD before the age of 15 years (adjusted HR: 3.4; 95% confidence interval: 2.0 to 4.0) and surgical correction of the defect (HR: 1.5 (95% CI: 1.2 to 1.8), p <0.0001) had a higher risk than those with an ASD diagnosis after the age of 15 years and those with transcatheter closure of the defect. In conclusion, ASD patients had increased long-term risk of psychiatric disorder and use of psychotropic agents compared with a gender and age matched general population controls.

Socieconomic status and psychotropic medicine use during pregnancy: a population-based study in British Columbia, Canada.

Women at the lower end of the socioeconomic distribution have higher rates of depression in pregnancy and lower rates of treatment. In this study, we investigate relationships between income and the use of psychotropic mediciness in pregnancy. This retrospective cohort study using population-based administrative datasets included all women who delivered a live infant in the province of British Columbia, Canada (population of 4.6 million), between April 1, 2000, and December 31, 2009. We compared the socioeconomic distribution in use of psychotropic mediciness in pregnancy. We included 305,984 deliveries among 217,721 women. Women at the low end of the income distribution were significantly more likely to have a diagnosis for all mental health conditions, except anxiety, which was more common in women of highest socioeconomic status. The adjusted odds ratios for psychotropic medicine use indicate that women in the lowest income quintile have lower odds of filling a prescription for a psychotropic medicine after controlling for covariates and diagnoses of mental health conditions. However, they were more likely to fill a prescription for an antipsychotic and were more likely to fill psychotropic medicines from three or more different drug categories during pregnancy. Our findings suggest that women of lower socioeconomic status are less likely to fill a prescription for a psychotropic medicine in pregnancy, a finding largely driven by their decreased likelihood of filling an antidepressant. This is despite overall higher rates of mental illness among women of lower socioeconomic status, suggesting a gap in treatment by socioeconomic status.

Psychotropic Medicine Stewardship: A Critical Role for Pharmacists in Long-Term Care Facilities.

There are many opportunities for pharmacists to contribute to the better use of anxiolytic and sedative-hypnotic drugs, typically overprescribed and maintained for longer than recommended. Our research group has conducted a series of in-depth qualitative analyses that have deepened our understanding of the impact of organizational culture in long-term care facilities on the use of psychotropic medications.

Effects of macroeconomic fluctuations on mental health and psychotropic medicine consumption.

Our aim in this paper is to understand the impact of macroeconomic fluctuations on mental health and psychotropic medicine consumption. In order to do that we exploit differences in the fluctuations of business cycle conditions across regional units in Catalonia. Our findings suggest that, in general, economic fluctuations at the local level had no significant effect on the consumption of psychotropic medicines. However, we show that a deterioration in local labour market conditions is associated with a reduction in the consumption of anxiolytics medicines. We also report an increase in the consumption of anxiolytics in regions with a softer deterioration in the economic situation. Although we report mild improvements in both mental and physical health for some sub-groups of the population, we also find significant reductions on the probability of sleeping 6h or more. Thus, these elements point towards potential negative effects of local labour market conditions on health in the medium/long term.

The effects of saffron on psychiatric disorders: A review

Psychiatric disorders are serious health problems and major contributors to the global burden of disease. Asian and European healthcare models, integration of psychotropic herbal medicines into conventional medical practice appears to still be some way off. Evidence reported show that saffron may be involved in neurodevelopment adult brain. The potential neuroprotective effect of saffron is linked to modulate several neurological pathways, including enhancing the immune response, decreased ROS, the activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha, and the regulation of nuclear factor kappa B activation, there are evidence studies that crocin intake might have anti-apoptotic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant effects. Saffron is being explored as an adjunctive therapy for drug addiction and addiction management. We here review the role of saffron in the psychiatric disorders, such as mental disorders (depression, anxiety, sleep, and sexual), cognitive functions, schizophrenia, addiction, obsessive�compulsive disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and Eating disorder. Adequate administrate of saffron seems to be crucial in terms of psychiatric disorder management. Saffron is safe and well tolerated when administered orally but has documented risks with intravenous administration. An evidence study supports its use as an adjunctive therapy clinically for psychiatric disorders, administered concomitantly with existing medications. The aim of this review is to assess the current knowledge related to the role of saffron administration on psychiatric disorders. Future research directions will be suggested. © 2020, Advanced Scientific Research. All rights reserved.

Access to Controlled Medicines in Low-Income Countries: Listening to Stakeholders in the Field.

Little is known on current practices and challenges associated with the legal trade of medicines controlled under international conventions in low-income countries. This qualitative survey involved semi-structured interviews of stakeholders engaged in the trade of controlled medicines at a global level or at a country level in 3 African countries (Uganda, Kenya, Democratic Republic of the Congo). Nine interviews were conducted, including 3 international wholesalers, 2 relief organizations, 2 procurement officers, and 2 regulatory officers. Additionally, 4 other participants provided written information. All participants consistently reported that the current process of procuring controlled medicines in compliance with international conventions was long and complex given the number of administrative steps required for obtaining export and import authorizations, which are mandatory for both narcotic and psychotropic medicines. It may be difficult or impossible to obtain import authorizations from some health authorities in low-income countries because of long delays, mistakes in forms, absence or shortage of staff, or when annual national estimates are exceeded. The complexities of the trade of controlled medicines directly contribute to the lack of access to essential controlled medicines, both narcotics and psychotropics, in low-income countries.