Common mental disorders and the use of psychoactive drugs: the impact of socioeconomic conditions

Author(s)

Maria Cristina Pereira Lima ^[1] ; Paulo Rossi Menezes ^[2] ; Luana Carandina ^[3] ; Chester Luiz Galvão Cesar ^[4] ; Marilisa Berti de Azevedo Barros ^[5] ; Moisés Goldbaum ^[6]

Affiliation

^[1] Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho. Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu. Departamento de Neurologia e Psiquiatria - Brasil

^[2] Universidade de São Paulo. Faculdade de Medicina. Departamento de Medicina Preventiva - Brasil

^[3] Unesp. Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu. Departamento de Medicina Preventiva - Brasil

^[4] USP. Faculdade de Saúde Pública. Departamento de Epidemiologia - Brasil

^[5] Universidade Estadual de Campinas. Faculdade de Ciências Médicas. Departamento de Medicina Preventiva e Social - Brasil

^[6] Universidade de São Paulo. Faculdade de Medicina. Departamento de Medicina Preventiva - Brasil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Revista de Saúde Pública; v. 42, n. 4, p. 717-723, 2008-06-27.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the influence of socioeconomic conditions on the association between common mental disorders and the use of health services and psychoactive drugs. METHODS: This was a population-based cross-sectional study conducted in the city of Botucatu, Southeastern Brazil. The sample was probabilistic, stratified and cluster-based. Interviews with 1,023 subjects aged 15 years or over were held in their homes between 2001 and 2002. Common mental disorders were evaluated using the Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20). The use of services was investigated in relation to the fortnight preceding the interview and the use of psychotropic drugs, over the preceding three days. Logistic regression was used for multivariable analysis, and the design effect was taken into consideration. RESULTS: Out of the whole sample, 13.4% (95% CI: 10.7;16.0) had sought health services over the fortnight preceding the interview. Seeking health services was associated with female gender (OR=2.0) and the presence of common mental disorders (OR=2.2). 13.3% of the sample (95% CI: 9.2;17.5) said they had used at least one psychotropic drug, especially antidepressives (5.0%) and benzodiazepines (3.1%). In the multivariable analysis, female gender and the presence of common mental disorders remained associated with the use of benzodiazepines. Per capita income presented a direct and independent association with the use of psychoactive drugs: the greater the income, the greater the use of these drugs was. CONCLUSIONS: Lower income was associated with the presence of common mental disorders, but not with the use of psychotropic drugs. The association of common mental disorders and the use of psychotropic drugs in relation to higher income strengthens the hypothesis that inequality of access to medical services exists among this population. (AU)