Over the next few decades, many Western European countries will undergo a large demographic transformation introduced by the retirement of the "baby boomers" and the possibility of striking increases in longevity. The aim of this study was to estimate the effect of a growing and ageing Dutch population on the future consumption of pharmaceuticals, so as to be able to anticipate the potential future emissions of these pharmaceuticals and their residues to surface waters. A total of 354 prescribed pharmaceuticals from 40 therapeutic groups was selected for study. These constitute 1.251 metric tonnes (98%) of the total Dutch consumption of prescribed pharmaceuticals in 2007. Calculations based on a fixed consumption rate (2007) predict that demographic developments can be expected to push consumption up to 1.504 metric tonnes in 2020 (+17%) and 1.851 metric tonnes by 2050 (+37%). Therapeutic groups showing the largest increase are related to illnesses associated with old age. The only groups showing a decrease are the antivirals and drugs for addiction treatments as well as ethinylestradiol, an active compound in contraceptives.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has paved the way for psychological crises, especially in resource-limited settings where mental health infrastructure is already crippled. This study aims to determine the prevalence and factors associated with perceived stress in the Pakistani population during the Covid-19 pandemic. Methods: A web-based cross-sectional survey was conducted on 1679 Pakistani residents who received the study questionnaire's Google form link. We used a validated tool of perceived-stress scale-10 to screen perceived stress levels. Multiple Ordinal Regression was used to identify the factors associated with perceived stress, and the results are reported as adjusted odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals. Results: The mean score of perceived stress was 19.32 (SD=+6.67). Most of the participants screened positive for moderate (69%) and high levels (14%) of stress, respectively. A significant interaction was seen between generalized-anxiety and the phase of the lockdown. The odds of high-perceived stress among severely anxious participants were 44.67(95% CI: 21.33, 93.53) times than participants with no/minimal generalized anxiety during the complete lockdown. Moreover, the odds of high levels of perceived-stress among moderately anxious respondents were 15.79(95% CI: 10.19-24.28) times compared to participants with no/minimal anxiety during the smart lockdown. Conclusion: This study evidences that the pandemic was highly distressing for the Pakistani population causing the maximum level of perceived-stress in more than half of the population. Adequate and timely interventions are needed before high-stress levels culminate into psychological disorders.