title: Overuse of psychotropic medications among children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders: perspective from a developing country.
abstract: Psychopharmacotherapy can be an effective part of the treatment for individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). However debate continues over the potential benefits and costs of these treatments; additionally little is known about the pattern of psychotropic medication use in developing countries. We aimed to survey the use of psychotropic medication, their subcategories and its associations among a representative local sample of 345 Iranian pupils with ASDs. All required information about demographics as well as clinical and medication history of children was collected through interviews with the families. Overall, 80% of participants were currently using at least one psychotropic medication while, and up to 97% of the sample had at least one psychotropic medication claim during the last year. Antipsychotics were the most frequent medications (57.4%) while antidepressants were used by only a small proportion of participants (8.7%). Further analysis revealed no significant association between any psychotropic medication use on one hand and clinical and demographic characteristics on the other hand. Time differences, cross cultural variations, and also cost and availability of treatment options in developing countries are discussed as possible explanations for different patterns and more than expected rate of psychotropic medication use in pupils with ASD.
authors: Sport and Exercise Psychology Group, Sports Medicine Research Center and School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran. amirmemari@farabi.tums.ac.ir
authors: Amir Hossein
authors: AH
authors: Memari
authors: Vahid
authors: V
authors: Ziaee
authors: Sara
authors: S
authors: Beygi
authors: Pouria
authors: P
authors: Moshayedi
authors: Fatemeh Sadat
authors: FS
authors: Mirfazeli
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003906:Developing Countries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016527:Drug Costs; D004348:Drug Labeling / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015995:Prevalence; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs