Antidepressants more likely to be prescribed to LTC residents than other seniors: report – GLOBAL

October 20, 2022

Seniors living in long-term care across the country were three times more likely to have been prescribed antidepressants over the last five years than those in the community, a new report from the Canadian Institute for Health Information indicates.

Just over 60 per cent of seniors living in long-term care were prescribed antidepressants in 2017, data analyzed by the institute indicates. That rose to 62 per cent of residents by 2019 and 65 per cent in 2021.

Meanwhile, the use of antidepressants among seniors living in the community increased from 22 per cent of seniors in 2019 to 23 per cent in 2021, the report indicates.

Tracey Fisher, manager of pharmaceuticals at the Canadian Institute for Health Information, said the increased use of antidepressants among those aged 65 and older in long-term care is not surprising.

Read more: https://globalnews.ca/news/9213159/antidepressants-long-term-care-seniors/