title: Use of antipsychotic medications in pediatric populations: what do the data say?
abstract: Recent reports of antipsychotic medication use in pediatric populations describe large increases in rates of use. Much interest in the increasing use has focused on potentially inappropriate prescribing for non-Food and Drug Administration-approved uses and use amongst youth with no mental health diagnosis. Different studies of antipsychotic use have used different time periods, geographic and insurance populations of youth, and aggregations of diagnoses. We review recent estimates of use and comment on the similarities and dissimilarities in rates of use. We also report new data obtained on 11 health maintenance organizations that are members of the Mental Health Research Network in order to update and extend the knowledge base on use by diagnostic indication. Results indicate that most use in pediatric populations is for disruptive behaviors and not psychotic disorders. Differences in estimates are likely a function of differences in methodology; however, there is remarkable consistency in estimates of use by diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Group Health Research Institute, 1730 Minor Ave., Suite 1600, Seattle, 98101, WA, USA, Penfold.r@ghc.org.
authors.forename: Robert B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Penfold
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.forename: Enid M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Hunkeler
authors.forename: Jeanne M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Madden
authors.forename: Janet R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Cummings
authors.forename: Ashli A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Owen-Smith
authors.forename: Rebecca C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Rossom
authors.forename: Christine Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Frances L
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Lynch
authors.forename: Beth E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Waitzfelder
authors.forename: Karen J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Coleman
authors.forename: Karen A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Coleman
authors.forename: Brian K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Ahmedani
authors.forename: Arne L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Beck
authors.forename: John E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Zeber
authors.forename: Gregory E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Simon
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D008484:Medicaid / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D056687:Off-Label Use / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents