ArticleEuropean child & adolescent psychiatry2025
ADHD medication dispensing trends in Dutch youth before and after the implementation of the Youth Act (2010-2022).
Article in European child & adolescent psychiatry, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.
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Who cites it
4 citing papers in PubMed.
- Lithium Dispensing Patterns in Dutch Youth: Prevalence, Incidence Dosages, and Duration of Use From 2011 to 2022.Bipolar disorders · 2026Article
- Article
- Trends in use of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder medications among children and adults in five European countries, 2010 to 2023: a population-based observational study.The Lancet regional health. Europe · 2026Article
- Global Trends in ADHD Medication Use: Multiple Contexts and Rising Concerns-A Narrative Review.Journal of clinical medicine · 2025Review
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10 authors.
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Abstract
objectiveThe Youth Act, implemented by the Dutch government in 2015, aimed to provide more efficient, coherent, and cost-effective care tailored to the specific needs of children, while also reducing medicalization. Between 2003 and 2013, there was a four-fold increase in methylphenidate prescriptions among Dutch children aged 4 to 18 years. However, the impact of the Youth Act on the ADHD medication dispensing remains unassessed. This study investigated changes in ADHD medication dispensing patterns among Dutch youth following the implementation of the Youth Act.
methodA before-after retrospective cohort study was conducted using data from the Dutch community pharmacy-based IADB.nl database among 137,684 youths aged 0-19 years using ADHD medication between 2010 and 2022.
resultsA significant decrease in overall ADHD medication dispensing prevalence rates per thousand youths was observed in 2022 compared to 2015 (35.2 vs. 45.7, p < 0.001). Methylphenidate accounted for approximately 87% of all ADHD medication dispensing. Incidence rates decreased significantly among children aged 7-12 from 2015 to 2022 (9 vs. 7.3, p < 0.001), while incidence rates increased significantly in adolescent youths (4 vs. 4.8, p = 0.008), particularly among adolescent females (3.5 vs. 5.3, p < 0.001). Females had lower prevalence rates and shorter durations of ADHD medication use compared to males, with no difference in daily dose observed.
conclusionADHD medication dispensing among Dutch youth declined following the 2015 implementation of the Youth Act. However, other factors such as the DSM-5 revision, COVID-19, and medication shortages likely contributed to this decrease, suggesting a multifactorial explanation for the observed changes in ADHD medication dispensing.
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