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Psychotropic drug use in older developmentally disabled with behavioral difficulties
D C Harper1, J S Wadsworth, A L Michael
1Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City 52242.
Research in Developmental Disabilities
|January 1, 1989
Summary
Psychotropic medication use is common in elders with mental retardation, particularly in congregate care settings. Older individuals and those in congregate settings showed higher psychotropic utilization.
Area of Science:
- Geriatric Psychiatry
- Intellectual Disability Research
Background:
- Psychotropic medication use is prevalent among elderly individuals with intellectual disabilities.
- Understanding medication patterns in this population is challenging.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between psychotropic treatments, behavioral issues, and living environments in intellectually disabled elders.
- To explore factors influencing psychotropic medication use in this demographic.
Main Methods:
- Observational study of moderately intellectually disabled elders in congregate and group care settings.
- Data collection included psychotropic prescriptions, behavioral ratings by caretakers, and demographic information.
Main Results:
- Psychotropic medication use was higher in congregate care settings compared to group settings.
- Older elderly individuals exhibited a greater tendency towards higher psychotropic utilization.
- Few differences in general characteristics (sex, IQ, reality orientation) were noted between settings despite varying drug use.
Conclusions:
- Living environment (congregate vs. group care) significantly influences psychotropic medication use in intellectually disabled elders.
- Age is a factor associated with increased psychotropic utilization.
- Further research should examine behavioral problems and setting-specific factors to clarify drug utilization patterns.