Use of Psychotropic Drugs by U.S. Adults

Sex Differences in the Use of Mood-Modifying Drugs: An Explanatory Model

“…These data indicated little difference by census tract of the various socioeconomic levels. Parry's (1968) data from the United States showed slightly higher prevalence rates for the well-to-do than for poorer individuals; but this pattern did not prevail among the better educated in contrast to the less well educated, even though income and education are generally closely correlated. These findings would seem to suggest that no clear picture has yet emerged of socioeconomic differences in the use of mood-modifiers.…”

Prescription psychotropic medication use among the U.S. adult population: results from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1988–1994

“…Prevalence and patterns of psychotropic medication use in the United States were estimated in the late 1960s and 1970s using pharmacy prescription audits and national, local, and regional surveys [8,9]. During the 1980s and 1990s, psychotropic medication research primarily focused on specific populations (e.g., the elderly population) [10][11][12], certain drug classes (e.g., ASHs) [13], or the analysis of potential risks (e.g., drug dependency or misuse).…”

Psychoactive Drugs in Outpatient Therapy

“…People apparently tend to adopt the drug use patterns of the economic groups into which they are moving, whether up or down. Use by men in the highest income bracket differs only slightly from the use of women in the lowest; for women, the differences by income level are more substantial [ 2 ] .…”

“…Stimulants are used by the smallest number, sedatives by a larger proportion, and tranquilizers by the largest group. Cumulative use of tranquilizers over a decade has shown a steady increase -from about 7 percent of the population in 1957 to about 27 percent in 1967 [2].…”