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Patterns of psychotropic prescribing practices in autistic children and adolescents : An Australian perspective of two cohorts five years apart
Baldes, Anna May, Tamara Brignell, Amanda Williams, Katrina
Baldes, Anna
May, Tamara
Brignell, Amanda
Williams, Katrina
Abstract
This study aims to describe the utilisation of psychotropic medications in Australian autistic children and adolescents. All children and adolescents with available Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme data who endorsed an autism diagnosis in The Longitudinal Study of Australian Children, including both B (n = 233, age 0–1 years in wave 1) and K cohorts (n = 157, age 4–5 years in wave 1), were included to describe psychotropic prescribing patterns. 212 (54.4%) autistic children and adolescents received at least one psychotropic prescription and 99 (25.4%) had polypharmacy. The most common psychotropic class prescribed was antidepressants (31.3%). Children in the B cohort were more likely to have a parent-reported diagnosis of anxiety or depression (χ2 = 12.18, p < 0.001) and tended to be more likely to have received a psychotropic prescription (χ2 = 3.54, p = 0.06). Psychotropic prescribing in Australian autistic children is common despite limited evidence for efficacy and tolerability of psychotropics in this group.
Keywords
autism spectrum disorder, autism, drug utilisation, psychotropic drugs, Australia
Date
2024
Type
Journal article
Journal
Child Psychiatry and Human Development
Book
Volume
Issue
Page Range
1-15
Article Number
ACU Department
School of Allied Health
Faculty of Health Sciences
Faculty of Health Sciences
Collections
Relation URI
Source URL
Event URL
Open Access Status
Published as ‘gold’ (paid) open access
License
CC BY 4.0
File Access
Open
Notes
© The Author(s) 2024.
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