Citation

Crombie IK, McLoone P. Br. J. Gen. Pract. 1998; 48(433): 1505-1506.

Affiliation

Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1998, Royal College of General Practitioners)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

10024711

PMCID

PMC1313200

Abstract

The trends in self-poisoning rates and in rates of prescribing of the major drug groups were compared. Over the period 1981-91, barbiturate prescribing and self poisoning both fell by 80%; for antidepressants, prescribing increased by over 40% and self poisoning by 30%; for antipsychotics, both rose by 30%; for benzodiazepines, poisoning fell by 30% and prescribing by 20%. Even for analgesic drugs, which are also available over the counter, there was a correspondence between changes in self poisoning and prescribing. The availability of prescribed drugs is directly related to their use for self poisoning. Restricting the availability of these drugs is a possible preventative strategy, although further research on this is needed.

Language: en