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Atomoxetine for the Treatment of ADHD in Incarcerated Adolescents
Sarah Jillani1, Prina Patel1, Robert Trestman1
1Dr. Jillani is a Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellow, Yale Child Study Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT. Dr. Patel is a Pediatric Resident Physician, Winthrop University Hospital, Mineola, NY. Dr. Trestman is Professor of Medicine, Psychiatry, and Nursing, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, and Executive Director, UConn Health Correctional Managed Health Care, Farmington, CT. Dr. Kamath is Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT.
Abstract:
Effective interventions for adolescents with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the correctional setting may improve care during incarceration, decrease risk of substance relapse, and reduce recidivism after release from the correctional setting of these individuals. The present report delineates the epidemiology of adolescent ADHD in the correctional setting and its association with substance use disorders and comorbid psychiatric illnesses. Evidence suggests that adolescents with ADHD have a higher risk of arrest and incarceration during adulthood. The present report examines evidence related to efficacy of atomoxetine, a nonstimulant medication for the treatment of adolescent ADHD, and presents data from a case series evaluating the effectiveness of atomoxetine for the treatment of adolescent ADHD in the Connecticut correctional setting. The results from the case series suggest that atomoxetine is effective for the treatment of adolescent ADHD in the context of significant past substance use. In summary, adolescents with ADHD have an elevated risk of incarceration and developing substance use disorders. The present review and pilot case series suggest that atomoxetine is an effective treatment for adolescents with ADHD in the correctional setting.