TY - JOUR
T1 - Geographic Trends in Pediatric Psychotropic Medication Dispensing Before and After the Start of the COVID-19 Pandemic
AU - Bushnell, Greta
AU - Sun, Jenny W.
AU - dosReis, Susan
AU - Camelo Castillo, Wendy
AU - Czaja, Angela S.
AU - Durrieu, Geneviève
AU - Gerhard, Tobias
AU - Lee, Haeyoung
AU - Kaguelidou, Florentia
AU - Pudasainee-Kapri, Sangita
AU - Raman, Sudha R.
AU - Spence, O'Mareen
AU - Horton, Daniel B.
PY - 2023/8/1
Y1 - 2023/8/1
N2 - OBJECTIVE: This study examined trends and geographic variability in dispensing of prescription psychotropic medications to U.S. youths before and after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Using national data on prescription medication dispensing, the authors performed a cross-sectional study examining the monthly percent change in psychotropic medications dispensed (total N=95,639,975) to youths (ages 5-18 years) in 2020 versus 2019, across medication classes and geographic regions. RESULTS: For many medications, more were dispensed in March 2020 than in March 2019 and fewer in April-May 2020 versus April-May 2019. Stimulants had the largest decline: -26.4% in May 2020 versus May 2019. The magnitude of the monthly percent change varied by region. CONCLUSIONS: Fewer psychotropic medications were dispensed to U.S. youths after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic compared with 2019. Although some medication classes rebounded to prepandemic dispensing levels by September 2020, dispensing varied by class and region.
AB - OBJECTIVE: This study examined trends and geographic variability in dispensing of prescription psychotropic medications to U.S. youths before and after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Using national data on prescription medication dispensing, the authors performed a cross-sectional study examining the monthly percent change in psychotropic medications dispensed (total N=95,639,975) to youths (ages 5-18 years) in 2020 versus 2019, across medication classes and geographic regions. RESULTS: For many medications, more were dispensed in March 2020 than in March 2019 and fewer in April-May 2020 versus April-May 2019. Stimulants had the largest decline: -26.4% in May 2020 versus May 2019. The magnitude of the monthly percent change varied by region. CONCLUSIONS: Fewer psychotropic medications were dispensed to U.S. youths after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic compared with 2019. Although some medication classes rebounded to prepandemic dispensing levels by September 2020, dispensing varied by class and region.
KW - Adolescence
KW - COVID-19
KW - General child psychiatry
KW - Psychopharmacology
KW - Psychotropic drugs
KW - Trends
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85166700101&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85166700101&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1176/appi.ps.20220314
DO - 10.1176/appi.ps.20220314
M3 - Article
C2 - 36751905
AN - SCOPUS:85166700101
SN - 1075-2730
VL - 74
SP - 880
EP - 884
JO - Psychiatric services (Washington, D.C.)
JF - Psychiatric services (Washington, D.C.)
IS - 8
ER -