Fræðigrein

Background: In Iceland antidepressant sales figures rose from 8 Defined Daily Doses (DDD) per 1000 subjects in 1975 to 95 DDD/1000 in 2005. 


Aims: To examine the views of adult Icelanders on antidepressant treatment and to identify the factors most influential in shaping their views.


Methods: Cross-sectional national survey of views on antidepressant treatment in a randomly drawn sample of 2000 Icelanders 18 to 80 years old.


Results: The response rate was 47.3%. Nine in ten responders believed that regular exercise is an efficacious treatment for depression (92.6%) but supportive interviews came second (82.3%). Seven out of ten believed that antidepressants are efficacious and the same proportion was willing to use antidepressants as a treatment for depression. The strongest predictor of being willing to use antidepressants if depressed was previous use of antidepressants (OR 6.9, 95%CI 3.4 to 13.8), followed by knowing someone well who had been treated with antidepressants (OR 2.3, 95%CI 1.6 to 3.3). Eight out of every 100 responders were taking antidepressants and further 8.3% had previously been on antidepressants for at least 6 weeks. Among past users of antidepressants, 77% felt that the benefits of therapy had outweighed the disadvantages. More knowledge on antidepressants was associated (P=0.007) with willingness to use them.


Conclusion: The majority of adult Icelanders are willing to use antidepressants for depression. The factors influencing their views most strongly are subjects´ own experience and the experience of close friends or relatives as users.





Sigurdsson E, Olafsdottir Th, Gottfredsson M.