Published online October 31, 2008
PEDIATRICS Vol. 122 No. 5 November 2008, pp. e1053-e1061 (doi:10.1542/peds.2008-0214)
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow View responses
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow E-mail this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My File Cabinet
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Cox, E. R.
Right arrow Articles by Mager, D. E.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Cox, E. R.
Right arrow Articles by Mager, D. E.
Related Collections
Right arrow Therapeutics & Toxicology
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us   Add to Digg   Add to Facebook   Add to Reddit   Add to Technorati   Add to Twitter  
What's this?

ARTICLE

Trends in the Prevalence of Chronic Medication Use in Children: 2002–2005

Emily R. Cox, RPh, PhDa, Donna R. Halloran, MD, MSPHb, Sharon M. Homan, PhDc, Sherry Welliver, PharmDa and Douglas E. Mager, MAa

a Express Scripts, Inc, St Louis, Missouri
b Pediatric Research Institute, St Louis University, St Louis, Missouri
c Kansas Health Institute, Topeka, Kansas

OBJECTIVE. Our goal was to estimate the quarterly prevalence of and evaluate trends for chronic medication use in children.

PATIENTS AND METHODS. A cross-sectional study of ambulatory prescription claims data from 2002 to 2005 was conducted for a nationally representative sample of >3.5 million commercially insured children who were 5 to 19 years old. Prevalence of chronic medication use was measured quarterly for antihypertensives, antihyperlipidemics, type 2 antidiabetics, antidepressants, attention-deficit disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder medications, and asthma-controller therapy.

RESULTS. First-quarter 2002 baseline prevalence of chronic medication use per 1000 child beneficiaries ranged from a high of 29.5 for antiasthmatics to a low of 0.27 for antihyperlipidemics. Except for asthma medication use, prevalence rates were higher for older teens aged 15 to 19 years. During the study period, the prevalence rate for type 2 antidiabetic agents doubled, driven by 166% and 135% increases in prevalence among females aged 10 to 14 and 15 to 19 years, respectively. Therapy classes with double-digit growth in prevalence of use were asthma medications (46.5%), attention-deficit disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder medications (40.4%), and antihyperlipidemics (15%). Prevalence of use growth was more moderate for antihypertensives and antidepressants (1.8%). Rates of growth were dramatically higher among girls than boys for type 2 antidiabetics (147% vs 39%), attention-deficit disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder medications (63% vs 33%), and antidepressants (7% vs –4%).

CONCLUSIONS. Prevalence of chronic medication use in children increased across all therapy classes evaluated. Additional study is needed into the factors influencing these trends, including growth in chronic disease risk factors, greater awareness and screening, and greater affinity toward early use of drug therapy in children.

Key Words: prescription drugs • chronic disease • prevalence • pediatrics

Abbreviations: ADD—attention-deficit disorder • ADHD—attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder • ACE—angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors • ARB—angiotensin II receptor antagonists • CCB—calcium channel blockers • FDA—Food and Drug Administration

Accepted Jul 9, 2008.


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us   Add to Digg Digg   Add to Facebook Facebook   Add to Reddit Reddit   Add to Technorati Technorati   Add to Twitter Twitter    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 CLIN PEDIATRHome page
E. Y. Yoon, G. L. Freed, M. M. Davis, and S. J. Clark
Formulary Coverage for Lipid-Lowering Drugs Recommended for Children
Clinical Pediatrics, July 1, 2009; 48(6): 609 - 613.
[Abstract] [PDF]

eLetters:

Read all eLetters

asthma medication in children
Raoul Harf
Pediatrics Online, 4 Nov 2008 [Full text]
Percentage increases deceptive
Joan McClusky
Pediatrics Online, 10 Nov 2008 [Full text]