title: Medication use among Australian adults with intellectual disability in primary healthcare settings: a cross-sectional study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is concern about widespread medication use by people with intellectual disability (ID), especially psychotropic and anticonvulsant agents. However, there is sparse information on prescribing patterns in Australia.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional study was conducted between 2000 and 2002 among adults with ID who live in the community in Brisbane, Australia. Medication data were extracted from a health screening tool. Demographic and medical data were collected from telephone interviews and medical records.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 117 participants, 35% were prescribed psychotropic medications, most commonly antipsychotics, and 26% anticonvulsants. Complementary medications (vitamins, minerals, amino acids, fish oil, and herbal products) were used by 29% of participants. After adjusting for potentially confounding variables, psychotropic medication use was significantly associated with having a psychiatric illness (adjusted odds ratio = 4.6, 95% CI [1.0, 20.6]) and challenging behaviours (4.4, [1.1, 17.3]).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  People with ID use a broad range of medications. Psychotropic medications continue to be the most predominant agents prescribed for this population. Psychotropic medication use is positively associated with having a psychiatric illness and challenging behaviours.
authors.affiliation: Queensland Centre for Intellectual and Developmental Disability, School of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
authors.forename: Tan N
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: Doan
authors.forename: Nicholas G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Lennox
authors.forename: Miriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Taylor-Gomez
authors.forename: Robert S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Ware
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001315:Australia; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008875:Middle Aged; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017678:Sex Distribution; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs