Use of medication prescribed for emotional or behavioral difficulties among children aged 6-17 years in the United States, 2011-2012

NCHS Data Brief. 2014 Apr:(148):1-8.

Abstract

Mental health problems are common chronic conditions in children (1-3). Medication is often prescribed to treat the symptoms of these conditions (4-7). Few population-based studies have examined the use of prescription medication to treat mental health problems among younger as well as older school-aged children (8-10). This report describes the sociodemographic characteristics of children aged 6-17 years prescribed medication or taking medication during the past 6 months for emotional or behavioral difficulties, and describes parental reports of the perceived benefit of this medication.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adolescent Behavior / drug effects*
  • Adolescent Behavior / psychology
  • Affective Symptoms / drug therapy*
  • Affective Symptoms / epidemiology
  • Age Distribution
  • Attitude to Health*
  • Child
  • Child Behavior Disorders / drug therapy*
  • Child Behavior Disorders / economics
  • Child Behavior Disorders / epidemiology
  • Child Health Services / economics
  • Child Health Services / statistics & numerical data
  • Consumer Behavior / economics
  • Consumer Behavior / statistics & numerical data
  • Female
  • Health Surveys
  • Humans
  • Insurance, Health / classification
  • Insurance, Health / economics
  • Insurance, Health / statistics & numerical data*
  • Male
  • Medicaid / economics
  • Medicaid / statistics & numerical data
  • Medical Assistance / economics
  • Medical Assistance / statistics & numerical data
  • Medically Uninsured / statistics & numerical data
  • Parents / psychology
  • Prescription Drugs / economics
  • Prescription Drugs / therapeutic use*
  • Sex Distribution
  • Socioeconomic Factors
  • United States / epidemiology

Substances

  • Prescription Drugs