title: Prescription of neuroleptics for children and adolescents in Italy.
abstract: The objective of this study was to describe the use of neuroleptics among children and adolescents in the province of Rome. Subjects 5 to 19 years of age who received neuroleptic prescriptions within the National Health Service between 1986 and 1991 were identified. Prevalence and incidence of use were estimated. The yearly prevalence of use during the study period ranged from 1.3 to 1.7 per 1000 inhabitants. The incidence during 1989 was 1.1 per 1000, with a marked increase with age. Haloperidol was the drug most frequently prescribed; 59.2% of the subjects received only one prescription during the year. Among subjects with more than one prescription, 42.3% received neuroleptics in combination. The observed pattern of use suggests that in current practice neuroleptics are also used for the treatment of nonpsychotic conditions. The analysis of data derived from a prescription monitoring system may provide an important contribution to the description of neuroleptic use among children and adolescents.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Traversa
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Spila-Alegiani
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Arpino
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ferrara
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D011307:Drug Prescriptions; D004363:Drug Utilization; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy; D012384:Rome; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents