Sociodemographic and economic comparisons of children prescribed longer-acting versus short-acting stimulant medications for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Little research has been conducted on sociodemographic and cost disparities regarding the use of longer-acting versus short-acting stimulants in the pediatric population. Demographic characteristics and healthcare expenditures of children taking short-acting stimulants versus longer-acting stimulants for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) were compared. Data from the 2000 and 2001 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, a nationally representative household survey, were analyzed for 221 children exclusively taking short-acting stimulants and 153 children exclusively taking longer-acting stimulants. No disparities in receiving short-acting as opposed to longer-acting stimulants were found by age, gender, race/ethnicity, region of the country, or insurance status. However, children in the latter group were more likely to come from higher income backgrounds and had greater psychotropic medication costs and total healthcare expenditures. For the most part, sociodemographic disparities in medication treatment for ADHD do not appear to exist once a diagnosis has been made.