Trends in GP prescribing of psychotropic medications among young patients aged 16–24 years: a case study analysis

摘要

BackgroundCurrent clinical guidelines recommend non-pharmacological interventions as first-line treatments for young patients aged 16–24 years with a mental health condition (MHC). However, several studies have noted increasing trends in psychotropic prescribing for this age group, especially in antidepressant prescribing. In Australia, the vast majority of psychotropic medications prescribed to young people come from the general practice setting. To assess whether Australian General Practitioners (GPs) are prescribing in accordance with clinical guideline recommendations, this study examined trends in GP prescribing of psychotropic medications to young patients aged 16–24 years.