ArticlePloS one2018
Trends in use of prescription stimulants in the United States and Territories, 2006 to 2016.
Article in PloS one, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 73 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
73 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Efficacy of psychotropic medications on suicide and self-injury: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Translational psychiatry · 2022Pooled it
- Extended-release methylphenidate for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adults.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2022Pooled it
- Article
- The exponential increase in the number of prescriptions for ADHD medication between 2012 and 2022 in Poland in patients aged 5-59 years: a pharmacoepidemiological study.European child & adolescent psychiatry · 2026Article
- Prescription stimulant consumption in the United States compared with 35 other countries.Health affairs scholar · 2026Article
- Article
- Gender and geographic disparities among DSM-5-TR authors in relation to financial conflicts of interest and industry payments: cross-sectional analysis.BMJ mental health · 2025Article
- Demographic and Genetic Predictors of ADHD Diagnoses and Medications in Electronic Health Records.Research square · 2025Article
- Differences and similarities between the genetic architecture of lifetime substance use across different substances.Psychological medicine · 2025Article
- Central nervous system stimulants in recreational and medical use.CNS spectrums · 2025Review
- Risk Factors for Adverse Cardiac Events in Individuals Prescribed Stimulants Across the Lifespan.Journal of attention disorders · 2025Article
- Characterizing patients at higher cardiovascular risk for prescribed stimulants: Learning from health records data with predictive analytics and data mining techniques.Computers in biology and medicine · 2025Article
- Socioeconomic status and prescribing of ADHD medications: a study of ICB-level data in England.BMJ mental health · 2025Observational
- Gamified Adaptive Approach Bias Modification in Individuals With Methamphetamine Use History From Communities in Sichuan: Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.JMIR serious games · 2025Article
- Single-Cell RNA-Seq Uncovers Robust Glial Cell Transcriptional Changes in Methamphetamine-Administered Mice.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025Article
- Assessing TDApp: An AI-based clinical decision support system for ADHD treatment recommendations.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2025Article
- Amphetamines: a current epidemic.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2025Article
- Challenges and Opportunities with at-Home Blood Collection for HIV-1 Viral Load Monitoring among Sexual Minoritized Men who use Stimulants.AIDS and behavior · 2024Article
- Assessing risk of COVID-19 reinfection and complications in adults treated with stimulant medications: A retrospective study using electronic health records.Medical research archives · 2024Article
- Supporting treatment adherence for resilience and thriving (START): protocol for a mHealth randomized controlled trial.BMC public health · 2024Article
13 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundStimulants are considered the first-line treatment for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in the US and they are used in other indications. Stimulants are also diverted for non-medical purposes. Ethnic and regional differences in ADHD diagnosis and in stimulant use have been identified in earlier research. The objectives of this report were to examine the pharmacoepidemiological pattern of these controlled substances over the past decade and to conduct a regional analysis.
methodsData (drug weights) reported to the US Drug Enforcement Administration's Automation of Reports and Consolidated Orders System for four stimulants (amphetamine, methylphenidate, lisdexamfetamine, and methamphetamine) were obtained from 2006 to 2016 for Unites States/Territories. Correlations between state level use (mg/person) and Hispanic population were completed.
resultsAmphetamine use increased 2.5 fold from 2006 to 2016 (7.9 to 20.0 tons). Methylphenidate use, at 16.5 tons in 2006, peaked in 2012 (19.4 tons) and subsequently showed a modest decline (18.6 tons in 2016). The consumption per municipality significantly increased 7.6% for amphetamine and 5.5% for lisdexamfetamine but decreased 2.7% for methylphenidate (all p < .0005) from 2015 to 2016. Pronounced regional differences were also observed. Lisdexamfetamine use in 2016 was over thirty-fold higher in the Southern US (43.8 mg/person) versus the Territories (1.4 mg/person). Amphetamine use was about one-third lower in the West (48.1 mg/person) relative to the Northeastern (75.4 mg/person, p < .05) or the Midwestern (69.9 mg/person, p ≤ .005) states. States with larger Hispanic populations had significantly lower methylphenidate (r(49) = -0.63), lisdexamfetamine (B, r(49) = -0.49), and amphetamine (r(49) = -0.43) use.
conclusionsTotal stimulant usage doubled in the last decade. There were dynamic changes but also regional disparities in the use of stimulant medications. Future research is needed to better understand the reasons for the sizable regional and ethnic variations in use of these controlled substances.
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