During the epidemic, the number of anti-inflammatory drugs among young people has increased

A study published Monday in the journal Pediatrics found that monthly doses of antidepressants provided to young people increased by about 64% during the coronavirus pandemic.

The researchers used the IQVIA Longitudinal Prescription Database to examine a sample of 221 million prescriptions written for millions of Americans between the ages of 12 and 25, and from 2016 to 2022. The researchers also separated before and after data. March 2020, when the outbreak began.

The most notable increase was among young women and girls. Monthly rates among girls aged 12 to 17 increased by around 130%, and by around 57% among young women aged 18 to 25.

The study hypothesizes that this jump could lead to higher levels of anxiety or depression, improved access to health care, things like telehealth, or longer waiting lists for treatment during illness compared to prescriptions. People depend on treatment.

The data set includes prescriptions dispensed by "retail, mail-order and long-term care pharmacies" in the United States, and not through specialty health care systems, such as Kaiser Permanente, the study said.

In contrast, during the pandemic, monthly doses of antidepressants fell for boys aged 12 to 17 and remained unchanged for young men aged 18 to 25.

However, the data shows that more young men were sent to the emergency room for suspected suicide attempts in early 2019 than between 2019 and 2021, compared to male high school students, and researchers reported being depressed or hopeless. more often.

This may be because men and boys are more likely to seek medical care for their mental health, the researchers said.

The data includes variables such as location, age, gender, and method of payment (Medicare, Medicaid, cash, etc.), but excludes factors such as income, race, or ethnicity.