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December 2, 2015
Young ADHD Patients Who Sell, Share Medications
Suffer Most Bullying

Ann Arbor, MI—Having a prescription for medication to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) makes children and teenagers twice as likely to be physically or emotionally bullied by their peers as those without ADHD, according to a new study.

The article published online recently by the Journal of Pediatric Psychology found that the risk increased dramatically—to four and one-half times more likely—if the medications were sold or shared.

Pharmacists and others can help avert the problem by educating patients and their parents on the dangers of diverting medications, according to study authors led by University of Michigan researchers.

“Many youth with ADHD are prescribed stimulant medications to treat their ADHD and we know that these medications are the most frequently shared or sold among adolescents,” said first author, Quyen Epstein-Ngo, PhD, research assistant professor at the U-MI Institute for Research on Women and Gender.

For the study, the researchers surveyed nearly 5,000 middle and high school students over a 4-year period. Of those, about 15% were diagnosed with ADHD with 4% having been prescribed stimulants within the past 12 months.

Among survey respondents with a prescription for ADHD medications, 20% of them said they had been approached to sell or share them. Half of them said they agreed to do that, and those were most likely to be victimized, according to the results.

“Having a diagnosis of ADHD has lifelong consequences,” Epstein-Ngo said in a U-M press release. “These youth aren't living in isolation. As they transition into adulthood, the social effects of their ADHD diagnosis will impact a broad range of people with whom they come into contact.”

Background information in the report points out that, from 2003 to 2011, there was a 42% increase in ADHD cases diagnosed in the United States, with a 27% increase in use of stimulants to treat the disorder between 2007 and 2011.

The statistics shouldn’t cause parents to avoid treating their children with ADHD therapy, according to Epstein-Ngo, who urges more discussion about not sharing medications.

“For some children stimulant medications are immensely helpful in getting through school,” Epstein-Ngo said. “This study doesn't say 'don't give your child medication.' It suggests that it's really important to talk to your children about who they tell.”



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