PSYCHOPATHOLOGY AND TREATMENT OF 30,344 TWINS IN SWEDEN .1. THE APPROPRIATENESS OF PSYCHOACTIVE DRUG-TREATMENT

We studied whether regular treatment with tranquilizing and hypnotic drugs among 30,344 twins in Sweden 15-47 years old was associated with robust indicators of poor health. Longitudinal psychiatric diagnoses and subsequent suicides were analyzed with data from cross-sectional health questionnaires. Women were almost twice as likely to report medication, even those with psychiatric inpatient diagnoses. Within each of mental, somatic, and lifestyle domains, medication was more frequent among those with multiple problems. The partial odds for medication for those with a diagnosis of psychosis were 11.81, affective disorder 10.94, neurotic or personality disorder 11.09, alcoholism 5.00, and drug addiction 13.92. We conclude that reported regular treatment with tranquilizing and hypnotic drugs in young Swedish adults was significantly associated with diagnosed and subjective somatic and mental health problems, and thus largely in agreement with current peer guidelines. The reasons why women were more often treated than men requires further study.