Use of Antidepressants among Patients Diagnosed with Depression: A Scoping Review

Table 1

Study, sample, methods, and major findings of the studies.

Study	Objective	Methodological review	Major findings
Tejashwini et al. [25],	To evaluate the antidepressant use pattern and associated adverse drug reactions (ADR).	Prospective observational study; Age: ≥18 years (April 2016 to September 2016)	Major victims of depression: married, employees, and housewives with secondary education.; Antidepressant receivers (majority): males (57.86%) and people aged between 41and 60 years.; Commonly prescribed antidepressants: fluoxetine (50.27%), followed by sertraline (40.29%), amitriptyline (25.31%), and escitalopram (3.43%).
Islam et al. [26],	To evaluate the antidepressant prescription pattern following WHO prescribing indicators in two teaching hospitals.	Hospital-based descriptive cross-sectional study.; Age: 18-60 years (June 2015 to June 2016)	Antidepressant receivers (majority): people aged between 18 and 27 years, married women, housewives, less educated, unemployed, and the lower-income group from a rural area.; Commonly prescribed antidepressants: SSRI (sertraline followed by escitalopram, citalopram, and fluoxetine), TCA (amitriptyline followed by imipramine), SNRI (venlafaxine), and atypical group (mirtazapine).
Nahas and Sulaiman [27],	To evaluate the antidepressant prescription pattern among depressive men in Malaysia.	Cross-sectional study; Age: ≥18 years (from May 2015 to ten-month period)	Mean age: 49.9 years.; Commonly prescribed antidepressants: SSRIs (72.9%), followed by TCAs (10.3%), SNRI (8.4%), and MAOIs (2.8%).
Kehinde et al. [28],	To evaluate the antidepressant utilization pattern in the tertiary care hospital in Lagos.	Retrospective study; Age: ≥18 years (January 2013 to December 2014)	Major victims of depression: people aged between 31 and 45 years, females (67.2%), married (57%), and self-employers (49.7%).; Commonly prescribed antidepressants: TCAs (61.3%) and SSRIs (38.7%).; Most frequently prescribed: amitriptyline (60.6%) and sertraline (20.2%).
Soh et al. [29],	To evaluate the antidepressant prescription pattern in a psychiatric department of a general hospital in Singapore.	Retrospective study; Age: ≥18 years (January 2013 to December 2013)	Mean age: 50 years; The majority of the patients were females (63.6%), married (70.9%), highly educated (46.1% had tertiary education), and full-time employees (60.2%).; Commonly prescribed antidepressants: SSRIs (75.5%), followed by atypical antidepressants (13.5%) and TCAs (8.5%).
Chen et al. [30],	To evaluate the prevalence and prescription of antidepressants used in depression in Asia.	Cross-sectional study; Age: ≥18 years	Mean age: 45.2 years; Antidepressant receivers (majority): females; Commonly prescribed antidepressants: sertraline (19.6%), escitalopram (18.6%), and mirtazapine (16.1%).
Trifirò et al. [31],	To evaluate the antidepressant prescription pattern in Italian primary care.	A prospective, observational cohort study; Age: ≥18 years (1 January 2007 to 1 June 2008)	Mean age: 52 years; Antidepressant receivers (majority): 45-64 years age group, where most of them were females (71.5%), homemakers (31.1%), married or cohabiting (60.4%), highly educated (44.2%), and current or former smokers and alcohol consumers and obese (53.5%).; Frequently prescribed antidepressants: SSRIs (paroxetine 25.9% and escitalopram 18.4%), SNRIs (venlafaxine 11.6% and duloxetine 5.6%) (80.2%), and TCA (2%).
Alhulwah et al. [32],	To evaluate the long-time users of antidepressants at Riyadh Military Hospital.	Cross-sectional study; Age: ≥18 years (July 2009 to September 2010)	Mean age: 42 years; Antidepressant receivers (majority): females (57.5%) and 35-50 years age group (46%); Commonly prescribed antidepressants: SSRI (61.7%), atypical antidepressant (14.2%), and TCA (11.7%), respectively.
Prukkanone et al., [33]	To evaluate the antidepressant prescription pattern in the hospice program.	Retrospective cohort study; Age: ≥18 years (June 2007 and December 2008)	Most users were female.; Commonly prescribed antidepressants: SSRIs (prescribed in 9 out of 10 patients).
Shiroma et al. [34],	To measure adherence and determine the antidepressant prescription pattern in patients with major depression.	Retrospective study,; Age: ≥18 years (patient treated between August 2005 and September 2008)	Average age: 46 years; Antidepressant receivers (majority): females (64%) and 15-86 years age group; Commonly prescribed antidepressants: fluoxetine (in two-thirds of patients), TCAs, and other SSRIs.
Bauer et al. [35],	To evaluate the recent antidepressant prescription pattern in European countries.	Prospective, observational study; Age: ≥18 years (May 2004 to September 2005)	Mean age: 46.8 years; Antidepressant receivers (majority): females (68.2%), married, less educated, unemployed, paid workers, and smokers.; Commonly prescribed antidepressants: SSRIs (63.3%), followed by TCAs (26.5%) and SNRIs (13.6%).
Beck et al. [36],	To evaluate the antidepressant utilization in relation to sociodemographic variables, in Canada.	Cross-sectional survey; Age: ≥18 years (May-December 2002)	The majority of antidepressant users were age group (25-64 years), females, married, lowest-income group, and people with higher education.
Meijer et al. [37],	To evaluate the prescribing pattern in patients using new antidepressants.	Observational cohort study; Age: ≥18 years (1995-1997)	Median age: 41 years; Female: 64.1%; Commonly prescribed antidepressants: sertraline (52.7%), paroxetine (31.2%), fluoxetine (9.2%), and fluvoxamine (7%).