The study also found that higher stimulant use among children is primarily concentrated in the South and Midwest regions of the country, and in higher-income communities.
The drugs are among the medications most highly prescribed for school-age children and include methylphenidate (e.g., Concerta®, Ritalin®), amphetamines (e.g., Adderall®), dextroamphetamine sulfate (e.g., Dexedrine®) and pemoline (Cylert®).
The findings come from a study appearing today in the journal Pediatrics and conducted by the Office of Research and Development at Express Scripts, Inc., (Nasdaq:ESRX) one of the nation's largest pharmacy benefit management firms.
"Numerous factors may play a role in explaining this variation including differences in state controlled substance laws, anti-Ritalin campaigns, direct-to-consumer advertising, physician practice style and the values, beliefs, and expectations of parents, teachers, school counselors and other adult caregivers," said Emily R. Cox, PhD, lead of the Express Scripts research team.
The study evaluated stimulant prescription claims activity from January 1, 1999 through December 31, 1999 for a continuously eligible population age 5 to 14. Age-gender adjusted prevalence rates – i.e. the number receiving at least one stimulant prescription per 100 eligible -- were estimated for each state. The rates for Louisiana and the District of Columbia were 6.5 and 1.6 respectively.
For more than a decade, Express Scripts has employed a company-paid research staff, which now numbers fourteen professionals, five of whom hold PhDs. Many of the studies they conduct are published in peer-reviewed journals, reported in the national media and presented at scientific or professional conferences, including the annual Express Scripts Outcomes Conference held for clients. First published in 1996, the annual Express Scripts Drug Trend Report quickly earned national recognition as the most comprehensive, publicly available analysis of U.S. drug-cost trends. Express Scripts also conducted the first national study of regional variation in prescription-drug utilization patterns across the United States. More information about these and other studies are available at http://www.express-scripts.com/other/news_views/outcomes_research.htm.
One of the largest pharmacy benefit management (PBM) companies in North America, Express Scripts, Inc., (Nasdaq: ESRX) makes prescription drugs more affordable and their use safer guided by a legacy of independence. Express Scripts provides integrated PBM services, including network pharmacy claims processing, mail pharmacy services, benefit design consultation, drug utilization review, formulary management, disease management, medical and drug data analysis services, medical information management services and informed decision counseling services through its Express Health Line(sm) division. The company also provides distribution services for specialty pharmaceuticals through its Specialty Distribution subsidiary and sampling services through its Phoenix Marketing Group subsidiary. Express Scripts is headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri. More information can be found at http://www.express-scripts.com, which includes expanded investor information and resources.
Journal
PEDIATRICS