Portrait on the Mantel

Researchers at Rutgers and Columbia Universities released their study prior to publication, poor kids are more likely to be given antipsychotic drugs than middle class kids and for less serious conditions.

Previous research showed rates of illness was 2 times higher in families with poor kids, but it doesn’t explain why these kids are prescribed drugs 4 times higher than kids from middle class families. However 1 explanation may be due to doctors prescribe more drugs to Medicaid patients because the public insurer pays less for non drug treatments like counseling than private insurance companies.

The doctors believe this method is easier for patients and doctors, but what’s not clear is what they’re prescribing and for what. The study found that kids on Medicaid were significantly more likely to be prescribed antipsychotic drugs for conduct disorders, hyperactivity, aggression or defiance than middle class kids, who were more likely to be prescribed the drugs for severe mental conditions.

Medicare spends more on antipsychotics than any other drug class, $7.9 billion per year

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