Consumption of psychotropic medicines at a referral hospital in Namibia: findings and implications

Setting: In Namibia, the burden of mental illnesses is estimated at 25.6% and is expected to double by 2025. Few studies in sub-Saharan Africa estimate the consumption rates of psychotropic medicines as a proxy of irrational use.
Aim: The consumption rate of psychotropic medicines at a referral hospital was determined.
Method: A hospital-based retrospective medicine utilization analysis of Facility Electronic Stock Card (FESC) psychotropic medication was conducted at Intermediate Hospital Katutura over a 7 year period, 2011-2017. Data on consumption and expenditure on psychotropic medicines were abstracted from FESC and analysed using descriptive statistics in SPSS v22. The main outcomes were consumption rates, daily Defined Dose, (DDD) and/or expenditure.
Results: Of the 580 351,4 DDD of psychotropic medicines consumed, 84% were anti-psychotics, 9.2% anti-depressants and 6.8% anxiolytics. Anti-psychotics (48.8%) and anxiolytics (47.9%) had the highest consumption by cost relative to antidepressants (3.3%). The most consumed antidepressants were imipramine (62%) by DDD and fluoxetine (55.8%) by cost. The most consumed anti-psychotics were chlorpromazine (74.6%) by DDD and haloperidol (68.4%) by cost respectively. Diazepam (79.4%) and hydroxyzine (94.2%) were most consumed sedative-hypnotics by DDD and cost respectively.
Conclusion: The consumption of new psychotropics contributes to higher costs. There is need for cost-effectiveness analysis of new versus conventional psychotropics to optimize treatment, outcomes and costs.