Abstract：
In response to concerns regarding overprescribing of psychotropic medication in children/adolescents, this study examined trends in psychotropic medication use in Ireland by age group and gender. A retrospective, repeated, cross-sectional study of the Irish pharmacy claims database was conducted. Yearly prevalence of children/adolescents receiving dispensed psychotropic medications was analysed from January 2017 to December 2021 and compared across years, age groups (5-15 years, and stratified as 5-11 and 12-15 years) and gender. Yearly prevalence was defined as the mean number of patients in receipt of medication per month per 1000 eligible population during a given calendar year. Negative binomial regression was used to examine the association of year, age group and gender on prevalence. Prevalence ratios (PRs) per year (average change in prevalence between each year) were presented with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The prevalence of included psychotropic medications dispensed in the 5-15 years group increased from 6.41 (95% CI: 6.22, 6.59) in 2017 to 8.46 (95% CI: 8.26, 8.68) in 2021 per 1000 eligible population (32% increase). The PR per year (adjusting for age category and gender) was 1.07 (95% CI: 1.035, 1.107; p < 0.001). An increasing trend over time was also observed for all individual drug classes. These findings suggest increased use of psychotropic medication in children/adolescents from 2017 to 2021. However, despite increased prevalence over time, comparison with the literature shows that psychotropic medication use in Ireland remains lower than international comparators.
摘要：
针对儿童/青少年过度服用精神药物的担忧，本研究按年龄组和性别调查了爱尔兰精神药物使用趋势.回顾，重复,对爱尔兰药房索赔数据库进行了横断面研究.从2017年1月至2021年12月，对接受配发精神药物的儿童/青少年的年患病率进行了分析，并进行了年度比较。年龄组（5-15岁，并分为5-11岁和12-15岁）和性别。年患病率定义为在给定日历年期间每1000名符合条件的人群每月接受药物治疗的患者的平均数。负二项回归用于检查年份的关联，年龄组和性别对患病率的影响。每年的患病率（PR）（每年之间的患病率平均变化）以95％的置信区间（CI）表示。在5-15岁组中分配的包括精神药物的患病率从2017年的6.41（95％CI：6.22，6.59）增加到2021年的8.46（95％CI：8.26，8.68）每1000名合格人群（增加32％）。每年的PR（调整年龄类别和性别）为1.07（95％CI：1.035，1.107；p<0.001）。对于所有单独的药物类别,也观察到随时间增加的趋势。这些发现表明，从2017年到2021年，儿童/青少年使用精神药物的数量有所增加。然而,尽管患病率随着时间的推移而增加，与文献比较显示,爱尔兰的精神药物使用仍然低于国际比较者.
