Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Manitoba: Population Characteristics and Psychotropic Medication Use

• Main Author: Vehling, Lorena
• Other Authors: Brownell, Marni (Community Health Sciences)
• Published: 2016
• Subjects: Autism Spectrum Disorder; ASD; Psychotropic Medication
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1993/31792

Background: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disability diagnosed in an increasing number of children. ASD has few effective treatment options. This study describes ASD prevalence and use of psychotropic medications among children and youth in Manitoba. Methodology: Administrative data from the Repository at the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy (MCHP) were used to create a cohort of children born in Manitoba. Diagnoses of ASD were based on medical claim records, hospital abstracts, or special education funding data. Results: Between 2010 and 2014, 3079 Manitoba children aged 0-14 had an ASD diagnosis (1.2% prevalence). Child demographic, health and education, and family environmental characteristics were compared between children with ASD and children in the general population; children with ASD with and without psychotropic medications; and among all children with psychotropic medications. Children with ASD were more likely to have a psychotropic medication than children in the general population. Children with ASD were more likely to receive a psychotropic medication if they were older than age 4, were diagnosed with ASD later than age 4, received special education funding, had participated in behavioural programming, had a co-occurring psychiatric condition, had a sibling diagnosed with ASD or had ever been in the care of child welfare. This study demonstrated that children with ASD received a greater number and intensity of psychotropic medications than children in the general population with similar demographic and psychiatric conditions. Conclusions: In Manitoba, the prevalence of ASD is increasing and differences exist between children with ASD and children in the general population. Future research and treatment planning for children with mental disorders and developmental disabilities should consider the appropriateness of the patterns of medication use and equity of treatment interventions found in this study. === October 2016