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. 2021 Mar 15;2021:6699028. doi: 10.1155/2021/6699028

Table 1.

Study, sample, methods, and major findings of the studies.

Study Objective Methodological review Major findings
Tejashwini et al. [25], To evaluate the antidepressant use pattern and associated adverse drug reactions (ADR). Prospective observational study
n = 598
Age: ≥18 years (April 2016 to September 2016)
Major victims of depression: married, employees, and housewives with secondary education.
Antidepressant receivers (majority): males (57.86%) and people aged between 41and 60 years.
Commonly prescribed antidepressants: fluoxetine (50.27%), followed by sertraline (40.29%), amitriptyline (25.31%), and escitalopram (3.43%).
Islam et al. [26], To evaluate the antidepressant prescription pattern following WHO prescribing indicators in two teaching hospitals. Hospital-based descriptive cross-sectional study.
n = 300
Age: 18-60 years (June 2015 to June 2016)
Antidepressant receivers (majority): people aged between 18 and 27 years, married women, housewives, less educated, unemployed, and the lower-income group from a rural area.
Commonly prescribed antidepressants: SSRI (sertraline followed by escitalopram, citalopram, and fluoxetine), TCA (amitriptyline followed by imipramine), SNRI (venlafaxine), and atypical group (mirtazapine).
Nahas and Sulaiman [27], To evaluate the antidepressant prescription pattern among depressive men in Malaysia. Cross-sectional study
n = 107
Age: ≥18 years (from May 2015 to ten-month period)
Mean age: 49.9 years.
Commonly prescribed antidepressants: SSRIs (72.9%), followed by TCAs (10.3%), SNRI (8.4%), and MAOIs (2.8%).
Kehinde et al. [28], To evaluate the antidepressant utilization pattern in the tertiary care hospital in Lagos. Retrospective study
n = 683
Age: ≥18 years (January 2013 to December 2014)
Major victims of depression: people aged between 31 and 45 years, females (67.2%), married (57%), and self-employers (49.7%).
Commonly prescribed antidepressants: TCAs (61.3%) and SSRIs (38.7%).
Most frequently prescribed: amitriptyline (60.6%) and sertraline (20.2%).
Soh et al. [29], To evaluate the antidepressant prescription pattern in a psychiatric department of a general hospital in Singapore. Retrospective study
n = 206
Age: ≥18 years (January 2013 to December 2013)
Mean age: 50 years
The majority of the patients were females (63.6%), married (70.9%), highly educated (46.1% had tertiary education), and full-time employees (60.2%).
Commonly prescribed antidepressants: SSRIs (75.5%), followed by atypical antidepressants (13.5%) and TCAs (8.5%).
Chen et al. [30], To evaluate the prevalence and prescription of antidepressants used in depression in Asia. Cross-sectional study
n = 956
Age: ≥18 years
Mean age: 45.2 years
Antidepressant receivers (majority): females
Commonly prescribed antidepressants: sertraline (19.6%), escitalopram (18.6%), and mirtazapine (16.1%).
Trifirò et al. [31], To evaluate the antidepressant prescription pattern in Italian primary care. A prospective, observational cohort study
n = 1,377
Age: ≥18 years (1 January 2007 to 1 June 2008)
Mean age: 52 years
Antidepressant receivers (majority): 45-64 years age group, where most of them were females (71.5%), homemakers (31.1%), married or cohabiting (60.4%), highly educated (44.2%), and current or former smokers and alcohol consumers and obese (53.5%).
Frequently prescribed antidepressants: SSRIs (paroxetine 25.9% and escitalopram 18.4%), SNRIs (venlafaxine 11.6% and duloxetine 5.6%) (80.2%), and TCA (2%).
Alhulwah et al. [32], To evaluate the long-time users of antidepressants at Riyadh Military Hospital. Cross-sectional study
n = 120
Age: ≥18 years (July 2009 to September 2010)
Mean age: 42 years
Antidepressant receivers (majority): females (57.5%) and 35-50 years age group (46%)
Commonly prescribed antidepressants: SSRI (61.7%), atypical antidepressant (14.2%), and TCA (11.7%), respectively.
Prukkanone et al., [33] To evaluate the antidepressant prescription pattern in the hospice program. Retrospective cohort study
n = 17
Age: ≥18 years (June 2007 and December 2008)
Most users were female.
Commonly prescribed antidepressants: SSRIs (prescribed in 9 out of 10 patients).
Shiroma et al. [34], To measure adherence and determine the antidepressant prescription pattern in patients with major depression. Retrospective study, n = 1,058
Age: ≥18 years (patient treated between August 2005 and September 2008)
Average age: 46 years
Antidepressant receivers (majority): females (64%) and 15-86 years age group
Commonly prescribed antidepressants: fluoxetine (in two-thirds of patients), TCAs, and other SSRIs.
Bauer et al. [35], To evaluate the recent antidepressant prescription pattern in European countries. Prospective, observational study
n = 3,468
Age: ≥18 years (May 2004 to September 2005)
Mean age: 46.8 years
Antidepressant receivers (majority): females (68.2%), married, less educated, unemployed, paid workers, and smokers.
Commonly prescribed antidepressants: SSRIs (63.3%), followed by TCAs (26.5%) and SNRIs (13.6%).
Beck et al. [36], To evaluate the antidepressant utilization in relation to sociodemographic variables, in Canada. Cross-sectional survey
n = 2,145
Age: ≥18 years (May-December 2002)
The majority of antidepressant users were age group (25-64 years), females, married, lowest-income group, and people with higher education.
Meijer et al. [37], To evaluate the prescribing pattern in patients using new antidepressants. Observational cohort study
n = 1,251
Age: ≥18 years (1995-1997)
Median age: 41 years
Female: 64.1%
Commonly prescribed antidepressants: sertraline (52.7%), paroxetine (31.2%), fluoxetine (9.2%), and fluvoxamine (7%).