Mental-Health Med Use Up During Pandemic

St. Louis-based Cigna’s Express Scripts has done a research report that says anti-anxiety and anti-depressant and anti-insomnia prescriptions filled between Feb. 16 and March 15 increased 21 percent year over year, likely due to the pandemic.

“Americans have grown increasingly anxious as they’ve seen this global pandemic upend their lives within a very short time,” said Glen Stettin, a physician who is, senior vice president and chief Innovation officer at Express Scripts. “We’re all concerned about our health, our families and our livelihoods, and are struggling with uncertainty. This analysis, showing that many Americans are turning to medications for relief, demonstrates the serious impact COVID-19 may be having on our nation’s mental health.”

The greatest increase was in prescriptions for anti-anxiety medications, which rose from 34 percent during mid-February to mid-March, including a week-over-week jump of nearly 18 percent during the week ending March 15. The number of scripts filled for antidepressants and sleep disorders increased 18.6 percent and 14.8 percent, respectively, from Feb. 16 to March 15.