UMMS Affiliation
Department of Psychiatry, Center for Mental Health Services Research
Date
10-30-2008
Document Type
Other
Medical Subject Headings
Psychotropic Drugs; Drug Prescriptions; Physician's Practice Patterns; Mental Disorders; Adolescent; Child; Healthcare Disparities
Disciplines
Health Services Research | Mental and Social Health | Psychiatric and Mental Health | Psychiatry | Psychiatry and Psychology
Abstract
Citation: Fortuna, L., Fulwiler, C., Torres Stone, R., Smith, L. & Biebel, K. (2008). Disparities in Child and Adolescent Psychoactive Medication Prescription Practices by Race and Ethnicity. Worcester, MA: Center for Mental Health Services Research, Department of Psychiatry, University of Massachusetts Medical School.
Key Points: (1) Compared to their non-Latino white counterparts, children and adolescents from racial-ethnic minority groups in the U.S. are less likely to receive prescriptions for psychoactive medication; (2) Racial-ethnic minority children and adolescents are also significantly less likely to receive mental health care; (3) Controlling for access to mental health care and for geographic variation reduces but does not eliminate variations in psychoactive prescriptions by race and ethnicity; (4) Controlling for mental health need and level of impairment does not eliminate variations in psychoactive prescriptions by race and ethnicity; (5) Reducing disparities will require coordinated efforts to educate families and providers, promotion of evidence-based practices, steps to overcome geographic and language barriers, and additional research for understanding the underlying reasons for variations in prescription patterns.
Included in
Health Services Research Commons, Psychiatric and Mental Health Commons, Psychiatry Commons, Psychiatry and Psychology Commons
