OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to estimate the point prevalence of psychotropic medication use, and to describe relationships between child-level characteristics, provider type, and medication use among children in the child welfare system. METHODS: The National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being is the first nationally representative study of children coming into contact with the child welfare system. We used data from its baseline and 12-month follow-up waves, and conducted weighted bivariate analyses on a sample of 3114 children and adolescents, 87% of whom were residing in-home. RESULTS: Overall, 13.5% of children in child welfare were taking psychotropic medications in 2001-2002. Older age, male gender, Caucasian race/ethnicity, history of physical abuse, public insurance, and borderline scores on the internalizing and externalizing subscales of the Child Behavior Checklist were associated with higher proportions of medication use. African-American and Latino ethnicities, and a history of neglect, were associated with lower proportions of medication use. CONCLUSIONS: These national estimates suggest that children in child welfare settings are receiving psychotropic medications at a rate between 2 and 3 times that of children treated in the community. This suggests a need to further understand the prescribing of psychotropic medications for child welfare children.
OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to estimate the point prevalence of psychotropic medication use, and to describe relationships between child-level characteristics, provider type, and medication use among children in the child welfare system. METHODS: The National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being is the first nationally representative study of children coming into contact with the child welfare system. We used data from its baseline and 12-month follow-up waves, and conducted weighted bivariate analyses on a sample of 3114 children and adolescents, 87% of whom were residing in-home. RESULTS: Overall, 13.5% of children in child welfare were taking psychotropic medications in 2001-2002. Older age, male gender, Caucasian race/ethnicity, history of physical abuse, public insurance, and borderline scores on the internalizing and externalizing subscales of the Child Behavior Checklist were associated with higher proportions of medication use. African-American and Latino ethnicities, and a history of neglect, were associated with lower proportions of medication use. CONCLUSIONS: These national estimates suggest that children in child welfare settings are receiving psychotropic medications at a rate between 2 and 3 times that of children treated in the community. This suggests a need to further understand the prescribing of psychotropic medications for child welfare children.
Authors: Stephanie L Mayne; Michelle E Ross; Lihai Song; Banita McCarn; Jennifer Steffes; Weiwei Liu; Benyamin Margolis; Romuladus Azuine; Edward Gotlieb; Robert W Grundmeier; Laurel K Leslie; Russell Localio; Richard Wasserman; Alexander G Fiks Journal: Pediatrics Date: 2016-04-01 Impact factor: 7.124
Authors: Robert Hilt; Christine Wolf; Kent Koprowicz; Elizabeth Thomas; Mary Chandler; Xiao Lei Hao; Matthew Russell; Tung Le; Lee Hooks; Bryan King Journal: Community Ment Health J Date: 2013-12-10
Authors: Erin P Hambrick; Sonia L Rubens; Thomas W Brawner; Heather N Taussig Journal: J Child Psychol Psychiatry Date: 2017-09-01 Impact factor: 8.982
Authors: Ramesh Raghavan; Megumi Inoue; Susan L Ettner; Barton H Hamilton; John Landsverk Journal: Am J Public Health Date: 2009-07-16 Impact factor: 9.308