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On February 23, i.e. the National Day for Combating Depression, the National Health Fund prepared a report on the most important aspects of this disease in Poland. He indicated how much antidepressants are sold in our country, how many benefits are provided to the sick and how much depression-related absenteeism looks like.
- The data presented by the National Health Fund shows that almost 3 percent. Poles suffer from depression. This is the smallest percentage of all European countries. Experts emphasize, however, that the data may be understated, because not everyone reports their problems to specialists, and this affects the statistics
- Women suffer from depression more often – they constitute as much as 73 percent. all those receiving treatment for this disease
- The NHF report shows that in 2019 antidepressants (reimbursed and non-reimbursed) were bought by a total of 3,8 million people
Getting depressed. Poland against the backdrop of Europe
According to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington, in 2017, 2,8 percent suffered from depression. Poles, i.e. by 0,36 percentage points. more than in 2012. Thus, compared to other European Union countries, Poland had the lowest percentage of people suffering from depression. However, the NHF report emphasized that data from individual countries may differ depending on the awareness of the problem of mental disorders. Where the stigmatization of the sick is lower, and people with depression have better access to specialist care, the chance that they will seek help – and thus be included in official statistics – is greater.
According to IHME estimates, the problem of depression is the largest in Portugal, Finland, Sweden, Estonia and Lithuania (over 5%). In almost all of these countries (except Lithuania), compared to 2012, the number of cases shows an upward trend. European statistics say that women are sick more often.
How many Poles are treated for depression?
In 2018 year services for patients diagnosed with depression were provided in Poland to 631,6 thousand. patients (this number remains at a similar level compared to 2013). Most often they were people aged 55–64. In the period from 2013 to 2018, there was an increase in the number of people treated for depression in the age groups under 18 and over 65. In 2018, minors constituted 2,1%, and adults 97,9%. patients. As much as 73 percent. all people who undergo treatment are women.
The value of reimbursement of benefits for people treated for depression in 2018 amounted to PLN 250 million, i.e. PLN 30 million (14%) more than in 2013. Calculated per patient, this gives an increase from PLN 69 in 2013 to PLN 868 in 2018 (25%). In primary health care facilities (POZ), as many as four-fold increase in the number of patients who were prescribed reimbursed antidepressants.
Sales of antidepressants are increasing
In 2018, 1,28 million people redeemed prescriptions for antidepressants reimbursed by the National Health Fund, which are used to treat not only depression, but also, for example, anxiety disorders. In the years 2013-2018, the number of patients using such prescriptions continued to grow (in five years it increased by 35%). The increase is especially visible in the group of people under 18 years of age, for which in 2018 were realized by 113 percent. more prescriptions for reimbursed drugs than in 2013. The report shows that in 2019, antidepressants (reimbursed and non-reimbursed) were bought by a total of 3,8 million people.
The number of patients taking drugs with the most frequently used active substance – sertralinum – increased by 2013 thousand compared to 131,76. (53,1%). According to the analysis of the National Health Fund, 40,3 percent. patients who at least once filled the prescription for the reimbursed antidepressant drug with sertraline continued pharmacological treatment in accordance with the recommendations – for a period of 180 days.
Depression and inability to work
In 2018, the number of layoffs due to depression amounted to 300. (since 2013 it has remained at a similar level). The layoffs lasted on average 19 days. There has been a decline in the number of medical certificates of incapacity for work for disability pension purposes. In 2013, 7,5 thousand copies were issued. of such judgments, and in 2018 – 4 thousand.
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