Medication Prescribing Patterns at a Youth Mental Health Service: A Single Center Retrospective Cross-sectional Study.

Rates of mental illness among young people remain elevated, and the utilization of youth mental health services is expected to increase. Yet, there is limited knowledge on real-world medication usage and prescribing at these services. Hence, the aim of this study was to explore the medication prescribing patterns at a center, an Australian youth mental health service. A retrospective cross-sectional study of medical records was conducted. Demographic data, clinical information, prescribed medications, and reasons for use of young people who attended an intake assessment at Camperdown over a 13-month period, February 2021-February 2022, were analyzed. Data collection focused on medication molecule, strength, dose, prescriber designation, and indication. Data were analyzed descriptively. Records for 608 participants were included. The median age at intake was 19.9 years old (interquartile range: 16.1-22.4), and most participants identified as female ( = 372, 61.2%). Anxiety ( = 246, 40.5%) and low mood ( = 95, 15.6%) were the most common presenting concerns. Almost half of participants ( = 291, 47.9%) reported using medication/s at intake, and almost one in five participants ( = 119, 19.6%) were prescribed a medication at the service. The most prescribed medications at were melatonin (24.0%) and quetiapine (12.3%), as well as the antidepressants escitalopram (15.1%), sertraline (11.2%), and fluoxetine (7.3%). This study provides insights into the prescribing practices at a single center. Further investigations are needed to explore the impacts of off-label prescribing for young people, particularly in relation to melatonin and quetiapine, where safety and efficacy in young people have not been well established.