EFEITOS DA PANDEMIA NO CONSUMO DE ANTIDEPRESSIVOS: UMA ANÁLISE COMPARATIVA DE CONSUMO PRÉ E PÓS-COVID EM UM MUNICÍPIO DA BAIXADA SANTISTA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULOEFFECTS OF THE PANDEMIC ON ANTIDEPRESSANT CONSUMPTION: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF PRE AND POST-COVID CONSUMPTION IN A MUNICIPALITY IN BAIXADA SANTISTA, STATE OF SÃO PAULO

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought challenges to mental health worldwide. The objective of this study was to analyze the consumption of antidepressants dispensed in public pharmacies in the municipality of Praia Grande, before and after the pandemic. Data on the consumption of antidepressants dispensed between January 2018 and December 2024 were collected. The project was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of Santa Cecília University under number 7,420,283. We observed an increase in the consumption of all medications, with the largest increases recorded: amitriptyline (219%), clomipramine (209%), fluoxetine (186%), and citalopram (183%). The study reinforces the hypothesis that the COVID-19 pandemic has intensified depression and anxiety in the population, resulting in a greater need for pharmacological treatment