|
Title:
|
Individual change in methylphenidate use in a national sample of children aged 2 to 11 years |
|
Author:
|
Romano, Elisa; Baillargeon, Raymond H.; Fortier, Isabel; Wu, Hong-Xing; Robaey, Philippe; Zoccolillo, Mark; Tremblay, Richard E. |
|
Abstract:
|
Objectives: To determine methylphenidate use in children aged 2 to 13 years. To provide age- and
sex-specific estimates of methylphenidate initiation and cessation during a 2-year period. // Method: Data from 2 cycles of a Canadian household survey yielded a sample of over 10 000 children aged
2 to 11 years at Cycle 1 who continued to participate at Cycle 2. We used logit modelling to estimate Cycle 2
methylphenidate use, methylphenidate use over a 2-year period, and methylphenidate initiation and cessation
from Cycles 1 to 2. // Results: In 1996 and 1997, methylphenidate use ranged from 0.32% to 6.31% among children aged 4 to 13
years. School-aged boys were more likely than girls to use methylphenidate. Odds were greater for boys aged
6 to 7 years than for boys aged 4 to 5 years; they were also greater for boys aged 10 to 11 years than for boys aged 12 to 13 years. Almost 1% of children used methylphenidate at both data cycles. Odds of Cycle 2 methylphenidate use were 135 times greater for children using methylphenidate at Cycle 1, compared with
nonusers. Methylphenidate initiation ranged from 0.20% to 3.34%, and school-aged boys had higher
initiation rates than girls. Cessation rates ranged from 18% to78%, and there were no statistically significant
differences by age and sex. // Conclusions: Methylphenidate prevalence findings are consistent with past studies. We found an age-by-sex
interaction on methylphenidate use. We also found both continuity and discontinuity in methylphenidate use. |
|
Date:
|
2005 |
|
URI:
|
http://hdl.handle.net/10393/12864
|
