title: Predicting medication costs and usage: expenditures in a juvenile detention facility.
abstract: This retrospective study examined prescription medication records for 1 year in a county-funded juvenile detention facility. Findings show that 7% of the detained youths were prescribed psychotherapeutic agents, which accounted for approximately 83% of the annual medication budget. Of the 799 male and 227 female detained youths, 14% of the males and 27% of the females were prescribed medications, with some prescribed as many as 23 different medications during their short-term stay. More than 93% of the total medication costs were accounted for by psychotherapeutic agents, antibiotics, and allergy/asthma medications at an average monthly cost of $46.50 per youth. Male youths who were prescribed medications cost $324 per month; their female counterparts cost $170 per month.
authors.affiliation: School of Education, Health and Human Services, Hofstra University, 39 Clinton Road, Garden City, NY 11530, USA. Debra.Tennyson-Feinstein@hofstra.edu
authors.forename: Debra H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Tennyson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016527:Drug Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004363:Drug Utilization; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000191:economics; D011330:Prisons / Q000191:economics*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents