Assessment of Psychotropic Drug Prescribing Among Nursing Home Residents in Ontario, Canada, During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

A notable feature of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is the sizeable number of outbreaks and deaths in nursing homes. To limit the introduction of the virus in this setting, strict and lengthy lockdowns were imposed on nursing homes worldwide, resulting in concerns about the mental health of nursing home residents and increases in the use of psychotropic medications, which were frequently overprescribed before the pandemic. thods | In this cross-sectional study, we examined the monthly proportion of nursing home residents who were prescribed psychotropic drugs as a proportion of the monthly number of residents filling a prescription for any drug in Ontario, Canada, from April 2018 to September 2020. As of March 1, 2020, 77 291 residents were living in the province's 623 licensed nursing homes, in which they received personal and nursing care, subsidized accommodations, and prescription medications through a publicly funded long-term care program. Restrictions on visitation, absences (ie, leaving the nursing home), congregate dining, and group activities began in all Ontario nursing homes on March 14, 2020. The study was approved by the research ethics board of the University of Toronto, which waived the need for informed consent because there was no contact with nursing home residents, and anonymity was assured. This study followed the Strengthen-