(244) Psychotropic drug use among 0-17 year old Norwegians during 2014-2021: a nationwide register study

Background: Time-trend studies have shown increasing use of psychotropic drugs overall, with different use patterns for different psychotropic subgroups, among Norwegian children and adolescents up to 2014. Knowledge on recent developments in psychotropic drug use in this population is needed.

Objectives: To present recent annual prevalences (2014 – 2021) of psychotropic drug use among Norwegians aged 0-17 years, overall and according to sex and psychotropic subgroups.

Methods: Data were obtained from the Norwegian Prescribed Drug Registry (NorPD), which covers all dispensed prescription drugs. Psychotropic drugs included: antipsychotics (ATC-group N05A), anxiolytics (N05B), hypnotics/sedatives (N05C overall, and melatonin N05CH01), antidepressants (N06A), stimulants (N06BA), and alimemazine (R06AD01). Annual prevalence of use, overall and in subgroups of psychotropic drugs, was calculated as number of individuals who had at least one psychotropic drug dispensed during the year per 1000 inhabitants.

Results: Since 2014, a continued increase in psychotropic drug use in 0-17 year olds was observed; from 30.8/1000 in 2014 to 41.0/1000 in 2021. The main contributing drugs were stimulants (boys overall; 20.8 to 25.9/1000, girls overall; 8.5 to 12.2/1000), melatonin (boys overall; 10.4 to 22.5/1000, girls overall; 7.9 to 20.5 1000) and to some extent antidepressants among adolescent girls (girls overall from 4.0 to 6.3 /1000). Psychotropic drug use was, however, reduced by half in 1-2 year old children, mainly attributed to decreasing use of alimemazine (1-year olds: boys; from 10.2 to 1.4/1000, girls; 7.2 to 1.4/1000). Psychotropic drug use was still higher in younger boys compared to girls up to puberty. In adolescents the level of psychotropic drug use is still higher in girls compared to boys, but over time there has been a larger increase use in adolescent girls than boys for all psychotropic drugs except for stimulants. In 2021, the prevalences of psychotropic drug use in 17 year olds were 102.6/1000 in girls and 72.6/1000 in boys.

Conclusions: Sex- and age differences in psychotropic drug use still exists. Psychotropic drug use has continued to decrease among the youngest children, and to increase in older children and adolescent girls in particular.