Psychotropic medication use among Kansas Medicaid youths with disabilities.

Knowledge of current patterns of psychotropic medication use by disabled youths is an important starting point for targeting future efforts to improve prescribing practices. This study provides a retrospective, descriptive analysis of the prevalence and patterns of psychotropic medication among 1022 Kansas Medicaid youths in 2001 who were enrolled with either Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Medically Needy benefits and who were having clearly defined mental and neurological disabilities. Rates of psychotropic medication use were generally higher for the Medically Needy than for the SSI youths: Central nervous system (CNS) stimulants (24.6% versus 20.0%), antidepressants (30.9% versus 13.7%), anticonvulsants (22.0% versus 13.9%), and antipsychotics (23.3% versus 11.5%). Use of the four major drug classes varied among children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and disruptive disorders, pervasive developmental disabilities, mental retardation (MR) and learning disabilities, mood and anxiety disorders, and adjustment disorders. Future work should explore the appropriateness and effectiveness of these medications within specifically targeted subgroups.