Prevalence of methylphenidate use and change over a two-year period: a nationwide study of 2- to 11-year-old Canadian children.
OBJECTIVE
To provide age- and sex-specific estimates of methylphenidate use and to determine use changes over a 2-year period.


METHODS
We examined the first and second data collection cycles of the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth, a Canadian household survey of children. Participants were children aged 2 years to 11 years at both the first and second cycles whose mothers responded; thus, 16,798 (13,059) children were assessed for the first (second) cycle. Logit modeling was used to estimate prevalence of methylphenidate use, to determine sex and age effects on prevalence, and to examine use changes from cycle 1 to 2.


RESULTS
Methylphenidate prevalence ranged from 0.09% to 3.89% across 2- to 11-year old children from the first cycle. Boys were 4.6 times more likely than girls to consume methylphenidate. Use was >4 times greater among 6- to 7-year-old children compared with 4- to 5-year-old children and almost 2 times greater among 8- to 9-year-old children compared with 6- to 7-year-old children. Methylphenidate prevalence increased by 36% from cycle 1 to 2.


CONCLUSIONS
Methylphenidate prevalence was relatively low. Boys and school-age children had higher rates of methylphenidate use, and use among 2- to 11-year-old children appeared to be increasing over time.
Romano
Elisa
E
Research Unit on Children's Psychosocial Maladjustment, National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth Research Center in Children's Behavior Development, University of Montreal, Québec, Canada.
Baillargeon
Raymond H
RH
Wu
Hong-Xing
HX
Robaey
Philippe
P
Tremblay
Richard E
RE
D000367:Age Factors; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002170:Canada; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000639:trends; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016013:Likelihood Functions; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008774:Methylphenidate; D012737:Sex Factors
D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D008774:Methylphenidate