Olfson and Marcus analyzed data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Surveys, sponsored by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, which provides national estimates in the U.S. about health care use and costs.
For the 1996 survey, nearly 19,000 people aged 6 and older were included, and more than 28,000 in the 2005 survey. A designated adult in each household answered questions about prescribed medications, medical visits, and other information.
The rate of antidepressant treatment increased from 5.84% to 10.12 % — or from 13 million people to about 27 million, the researchers found.
One exception to the trend involved African-Americans. “African-Americans really did stand out as one group that didn’t experience a significant increase in antidepressant use,” Olfson says. In 1996, 3.6% of African-Americans surveyed were on antidepressants and 4.5% in 2005.
Another important finding, Olfson says, is that fewer people on antidepressants surveyed in 2005 also took part in psychotherapy or “talk therapy.” Although 31.5% of those surveyed in 1996 on antidepressants also did talk therapy, just 19.8% of those surveyed in 2005 both took antidepressants and participated in psychotherapy.
Often, the two are recommended together for depression.