{Reference Type}: Journal Article
{Title}: Exploring the co-occurrence of depression, anxiety and insomnia symptoms, diagnoses and treatments in primary care: observational study using UK primary care data.
{Author}: Nimmons D;Bazo-Alvarez JC;Avgerinou C;Hayes J;Osborn D;Cooper C;Petersen I;Walters K;
{Journal}: BJPsych Open
{Volume}: 10
{Issue}: 3
{Year}: 2024 Apr 18
{Factor}: 5.165
{DOI}: 10.1192/bjo.2024.20
{Abstract}: <B>BACKGROUND: </B>Depression, anxiety and insomnia often co-occur. However, there is a lack of research regarding how they cluster and how this is related to medication used to treat them.<BR><B>OBJECTIVE: </B>To describe the frequencies and associations between depression, anxiety and insomnia, and treatment for these conditions in primary care.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>A retrospective cohort study using UK electronic primary care records. We included individuals aged between 18 and 99 years old with one or more records suggesting they had a diagnosis, symptom or drug treatment for anxiety, depression or insomnia between 2015 and 2017. We report the conditional probabilities of having different combinations of diagnoses, symptoms and treatments recorded.<BR><B>RESULTS: </B>There were 1 325 960 records indicative of depression, anxiety or insomnia, for 739 834 individuals. Depression was the most common condition (n = 106 117 records), and SSRIs were the most commonly prescribed medication (n = 347 751 records). Overall, individuals with a record of anxiety were most likely to have co-occurring symptoms and diagnoses of other mental health conditions. For example, of the individuals with a record of generalised anxiety disorder (GAD), 24% also had a diagnosis of depression. In contrast, only 0.6% of those who had a diagnosis of depression had a diagnosis or symptom of GAD. Prescribing of more than one psychotropic medication within the same year was common. For example, of those who were prescribed an SNRI (serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor), 40% were also prescribed an SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor).<BR><B>CONCLUSIONS: </B>The conditional probabilities of co-occurring anxiety, depression and insomnia symptoms, diagnoses and treatments are high.