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Meta-Analysis
. 2024:46:e20233095.
doi: 10.47626/1516-4446-2023-3095. Epub 2023 Sep 17.

Prevalence of antidepressant use in Brazil: a systematic review with meta-analysis

Gustavo Magno Baldin Tiguman  1 , Rogério Hoefler  2 , Marcus Tolentino Silva  3 , Vanessa Gomes Lima  1 , Inês Ribeiro-Vaz  4 , Taís Freire Galvão  1
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

Prevalence of antidepressant use in Brazil: a systematic review with meta-analysis

Gustavo Magno Baldin Tiguman et al. Braz J Psychiatry. 2024.

Abstract

Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of antidepressant use in Brazil.

Methods: We conducted a systematic review with searches in MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, LILACS, and SciELO up to May 2023. Two researchers independently selected studies, extracted data, and assessed the methodological quality. We pooled the prevalence of antidepressant use using meta-analyses of proportions (Freeman-Tukey transformation) and estimated heterogeneity by the I2 statistic. OR meta-analyses of antidepressant use by sex were calculated (men as reference) and between-study variation was explored by meta-regressions.

Results: Out of 3,299 records retrieved, 23 studies published in 28 reports were included, with a total of 75,061 participants. The overall prevalence of antidepressant use was 4.0% (95%CI 2.7-5.6%; /² = 98.5%). Use of antidepressants in the previous 3 days was higher in women (12.0%; 95%CI 9.5-15.1%; /² = 0%) than men (4.6%; 95%CI 3.1-6.8%; /² = 0%) (p < 0.001; OR = 2.82; 95%CI 1.72-4.62). Gender differences were particularly higher for antidepressant use in the previous year (women: 2.3%; 95%CI 1.6-3.1; /² = 37.6% vs. men: 0.5%; 95%CI 0.2-1.0%; /² = 0%, p < 0.001; OR = 4.18; 95%CI 2.10-8.30). Between-study variation in the overall prevalence of antidepressant use significantly increased with mean participant age (p = 0.035; residual /² = 0%; regression coefficient = 0.003).

Conclusion: Four out of every 100 Brazilians used antidepressants in this 3-decade assessment. Use increased with age and was more prevalent in women compared to men.

Registration number: PROSPERO CRD42022345332.

Keywords: Antidepressive agents; drug utilization; mental health; prevalence; systematic review.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Flow diagram of study selection and inclusion.
Figure 2
Figure 2. Prevalence of antidepressant use (%) and 95%CI according to the recall period adopted.
Figure 3
Figure 3. Variability of the overall prevalence of antidepressant use by mean age, recall period, and start and end years of studies.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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