Table 1.
Patterns of ADHD Medication Prescriptions Among Adults in 2013, Stratified by Age Group.
| Characteristics | Young adultsa (N = 20,629) | Middle-aged adults (N = 16,889) | Older adults (N = 4,322) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type (%) | |||
| Methylphenidate | 18,381 (89.10%) | 14,672 (86.87%) | 3,584 (82.92%) |
| Atomoxetine | 3,236 (15.69%) | 2,232 (13.22%) | 547 (12.66%) |
| Lisdexamfetamine | 137 (0.66%) | 177 (1.05%) | 33 (0.76%) |
| Amfetamine | 141 (0.68%) | 337 (2.00%) | 218 (5.04%) |
| Dexamfetamine | 442 (2.14%) | 945 (5.60%) | 254 (5.88%) |
| Guanfacine | 7 (0.03%) | 1 (0.01%) | 1 (0.02%) |
| Source (%) | |||
| Primary care | 280 (1.36%) | 145 (0.86%) | 69 (1.60%) |
| Specialist careb | 1,393 (6.75%) | 1,065 (6.31%) | 454 (10.50%) |
| Psychiatric care | 18,956 (91.89%) | 15,679 (92.84%) | 3,799 (87.90%) |
| Duration of medication (%) | |||
| Single prescriptionc | 1,438 (6.97%) | 686 (4.06%) | 197 (4.56%) |
| Short term (≤6 months) | 2,189 (10.61%) | 1,164 (6.89%) | 273 (6.32%) |
| Medium term (6–12 months) | 2,434 (11.80%) | 1,424 (8.43%) | 310 (7.17%) |
| Long term (>12 months) | 14,568 (70.62%) | 13,615 (80.61%) | 3,542 (81.95%) |
a
Young adults refer to patients aged 18–29 years; middle-aged adults refer to patients aged 30–49 years; older adults referred to patients aged 50–64 years.
b
Specialist care excluding psychiatry.
c
Single prescription here entails single dispensed prescriptions of any ADHD medication. Switching between different types of ADHD medications is not captured by this number.