The association of depression with use of prescription drugs in adults with noncommunicable diseases: Based on NHANES in 2005–2016

•Use of prescription drugs in adults with noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) was associated with the increased risk of depression.•The associations by patients with different types of NCDs was significantly different, e.g., it was stronger in patients with genitourinary diseases ≥65 years of age.•The more categories of prescription drugs the patients take, the higher risk of depression.