Sarah Watts, MS
WKPIC Doctoral Intern
Are there racial differences in the way psychotropic medication is prescribed to youth who are suffering from mental health problems? In today’s society it is important to explore the social and biological basis for treatment differences among individuals suffering from mental health symptoms. One such study by Cook et al. (2017) found that White children were more likely to be prescribed psychotropic medication when compared to Black and Latino children whether or not the children were exhibiting impairment in functioning. The reason for this is not currently understood and more research is needed to fully understand this difference. However, the findings highlight the importance of accurately targeting psychotropic medication across racial/ethnic groups.
References
Cook, B. L., Carson, N. J., Kafali, E. N., Valentine, A., Rueda, J. D., Coe-Odess, S., & Busch, S. (2017). Examining psychotropic medication use among youth in the u.s. by race/ethnicity and psychological impairment. General Hospital Psychiatry, 45, 32–39. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2016.12.004