Key result
Antidepressant prescription prevalence among cancer patients in their last year of life was 22%, almost four times higher than the 6% observed in the general population.
Why the study?
What is the prescription prevalence of antidepressants among cancer patients in their last year of life compared to the general population?
Population
17,753 adult patients who died from cancer in 2005 and 2006 in Norway
Comparison
Antidepressant prescriptions in the 12 months… vs General population
Design
Cohort
Follow-up
12 months prior to death
Authors
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Higher antidepressant prescribing near death in cancer signals potential unmet needs; leaves open appropriateness and outcomes in observational data.
Cohort (n=17,753)
Yes
What is the prescription prevalence of antidepressants among cancer patients in their last year of life compared to the general population?
Absolute Event Rate: 22% vs 6%
The prescription prevalence of antidepressants among cancer patients in their last year of life is nearly four times higher than in the general population, with 10% receiving their first prescription within 30 days of death.
Brelin et al. (2012) conducted a cohort in Cancer (n=17,753). Antidepressants vs. General population was evaluated on Prescription prevalence of antidepressants in the last year of life. Antidepressant prescription prevalence among cancer patients in their last year of life was 22%, almost four times higher than the 6% observed in the general population.