1 in 10 women now on antidepressant in US

[Guest guest]

SSRI-Research@

Fri, 10 Dec 2004 01:39:30 -0000

[sSRI-Research] 1 in 10 women now on antidepressant in US

 

Join Together Online, Wed, 08 Dec 2004 9:05 AM PST

 

News Summaries

 

http://www.jointogether.org/sa/news/summaries/reader/0,1854,575341,00.html

 

 

 

Many More Americans Taking Antidepressants

12/8/2004

 

 

The number of Americans using antidepressants has skyrocketed in the

last decade, the Washington Post reported Dec. 3.

 

According to the Health United States 2004 report, issued by the

National Center for Health Statistics, the use of antidepressant drugs

such as Prozac, Paxil, or Zoloft, has nearly tripled among all

American adults.

 

Among women, one in 10 now take an antidepressant drug. The number of

children using antidepressants also has tripled since the 1994-96

study period.

 

The report also revealed that prescription drug costs are increasing

faster than any other area of medical care as more Americans take

drugs for a wide range of reasons. According to the report, the cost

for healthcare in 2002 climbed to $1.6 trillion. Of that figure,

prescription drugs accounted for $162 billion.

 

About half of all Americans take at least one prescription drug, the

study found.