Prescription patterns and trends of anxiolytics and hypnotics/sedatives among child and adolescent patients with psychiatric illnesses in a psychiatric center of northern Taiwan

Abstract

Background: The prevalence of prescriptions of anxiolytics and hypnotics/sedatives for child and adolescent patients with psychiatric illnesses is increasing over the world. No studies exist to focus on the prescription trends and patterns of anxiolytics and hypnotics/sedatives for child and adolescent patients in psychiatric hospitals of Taiwan. Methods: In this retrospective study for all outpatients who were equal or younger than 18 years of age in a psychiatric service, we collected related study variables from the study psychiatric services from 2006 to 2015. Reviewing the electronic medical information system, we extracted both patients' demographic or clinical data (such as sex, age, as well as psychiatric diagnoses), and prescriptions of anxiolytics and hynotics/sedatives. Results: During the study period, the proportion of patients received anxiolytics and hypnotics/sedatives was decreased significantly (from 9.16% in 2006 to 5.85% in 2015, p < 0.001). The proportion of patients received anxiolytics was significantly decreased (from 5.34% in 2006 to 4.54% in 2015, p > 0.05), while hypnotics/sedatives was also decreased significantly (from 5.35% to 2.27%, p < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis showed that the use of anxiolytics and hypnotics/sedatives was significantly associated with age (p < 0.001), gender (p < 0.001), patients' status of catastrophic illnesses (p < 0.001), and diseases (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Anxiolytics and hypnotics/sedatives have the rôles in the treatment of child and adolescent patients with psychiatric Illnesses. Clinicians should be aware of the adverse events of these medications and prescribe them carefully for this population. Certainly, we need more well-designed clinical studies to study the safety and efficacy of anxiolytics and hypnotics/sedatives medications for children and adolescents.