Medication use in US youth with mental disorders
Kathleen R Merikangas1, Jian-ping He, Judith Rapoport
1National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA. kathleen.merikangas@nih.gov
JAMA Pediatrics
|February 14, 2013
Summary
Psychotropic medication use in adolescents with mental disorders is common but appropriate, challenging overmedication concerns. Data indicate a need for increased recognition and treatment of youth mental health conditions.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry and Mental Health
- Adolescent Health
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Concerns exist regarding the overmedication and misuse of psychotropic medications in adolescents.
- Understanding the patterns of psychotropic medication use in youth is crucial for evidence-based practice.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of psychotropic medication use among adolescents with mental disorders.
- To identify demographic and clinical factors associated with psychotropic medication use.
- To assess the specificity of medication classes for diagnosed mental disorders in youth.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional survey utilizing direct household interviews.
- Sample included 10,123 adolescents aged 13-18 years from a representative US population.
- Diagnoses based on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fourth Edition) criteria; outcome was 12-month psychotropic medication use.
Main Results:
- 14.2% of adolescents with a mental disorder used psychotropic medication in the past year.
- Specific medication classes showed strong associations with disorders: antidepressants for mood disorders (14.1%), stimulants for ADHD (20.4%), and antipsychotics for developmental disorders.
- Appropriate medication use was higher in specialty mental health settings; <2.5% of adolescents without a disorder used these medications.
Conclusions:
- Findings do not support widespread overmedication or misuse of psychotropic drugs in US youth.
- The data underscore the necessity for better identification and appropriate treatment of mental health disorders in adolescents.
- Targeted use of psychotropic medications aligns with specific diagnoses, suggesting appropriate prescribing patterns.
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