A cross-sectional study recently published in JAMA Psychiatry sums up the prevalence of prescription stimulant use disorder (PSUD) among U.S. adults. Using national data, researchers found that 25.3% (95% confidence interval [CI], 23.8%-26.8%) of adults using prescription stimulants reported misuse, and 9.0% (95% CI, 8.0%-10.0%) had PSUD as measured by DSM-5 criteria. Misuse and PSUD were significantly more prevalent among those prescribed amphetamines compared to methylphenidate. The study also identified demographic trends, with the largest increase in prescription stimulant dispensing occurring among women aged 35 to 64 years—increasing from 1.2 million in early 2019 to 1.7 million by the end of 2022—although this group had lower misuse rates (13.7% [95% CI, 11.1%-16.8%]). The findings emphasize the need for improved screening and treatment for PSUD as well as clinician training to address the risks and benefits of prescription stimulant use, the authors say.Â
Who prescribes most? Stimulant prescriptions are increasing overall, but prescriptions written by nurse practitioners or physician assistants increased the most (110%, from 2.1 million to 4.4 million) in the study data. Read more about prescription drug misuse in this recent JUCM Developing Data feature: Few Misused Rx Drugs Prescribed in Urgent Care
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