The rise and fall of ADHD child prescribing in Western Australia: Lessons and implications

摘要

From 1989 to 2000 the number of Western Australians prescribed stimulant medication grew twenty-threefold. By 2000 there were 20,648 Western Australians on prescription stimulants. The Western Australia (WA) Health Department estimated 85% to 90% (17,551 to 18,583) were children. This represented 4.2% to 4.5% of all WA children aged between 4-17 years (Department of Health, 2002). All through this period WA was the highest per capita prescribing Australian state or territory and in 2000 exceeded the USA national rate (Berbatis et al., 2002). By 2003 the number of Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) per capita Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) prescriptions in WA was approximately three and a half times the Australian average (Whitely, 2010). There is limited data available, however, it appears the disproportionate rates were due both to higher per capita patient rates and higher than average doses.