A population-based study of antipsychotic prescription trends in children and adolescents in British Columbia, from 1996 to 2011.

Objectives: To establish prevalence rates of antipsychotic (AP) prescriptions for children 18 years of age or younger in British Columbia (BC) from 1996 to 2011 by age, sex, AP type, and primary diagnosis; and to identify the predominant AP prescribers for children by specialty training.

Methods: BC Ministry of Health administrative data were used to describe AP prescriptions for youth aged 18 years or younger. Comparisons were made using population prevalence based on sex; age group; AP; International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, diagnosis; and prescriber specialty.