@article{ref1,
title="Does the availability of prescribed drugs affect rates of self poisoning?",
journal="British journal of general practice",
year="1998",
author="Crombie, Iain K. and McLoone, P.",
volume="48",
number="433",
pages="1505-1506",
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.<p /><p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0960-1643",
doi="",
url="http://dx.doi.org/"
}