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. 2001 Nov;27(6):497-508.
doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2214.2001.00231.x.

Psychotropic prescribing practices of paediatricians in the UK

F McNicholas  1
Affiliations

Psychotropic prescribing practices of paediatricians in the UK

F McNicholas. Child Care Health Dev. 2001 Nov.

Abstract

Objective: This study examines the prescribing practices and attitudes to psychotropic medication by paediatricians in the UK.

Design: Questionnaires were sent to 100 randomly chosen paediatricians in the UK to assess their prescribing practices of psychotropic medication in children.

Results: Paediatricians see and treat many children with a wide variety of psychotropic medications on a regular basis. However, few of them feel competent, and most requested regular psychopharmacology seminars.

Conclusions: In the US, primary care physicians and paediatricians are recognized as primarily responsible for the continuing increase in psychotropic prescriptions in children. This study shows that, in the UK, paediatricians also contribute to such prescribing and need to be taken into account when estimating the prevalence and appropriateness of such medication use in children.

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