Medication Continuity in Children Treated for ADHD
Grant #: K23MH083027
PI: William Brinkman MD, MEd
Collaborators: Jeffery Epstein, PhD; Maria Britto MD, MPH, Dennis Drotar PhD, Carole Lannon MD, MPH, Laurel Leslie MD, MPH, Phil Lichtenstein MD, David Schonfeld MD, Heidi Sucharew PhD, Paul Succop PhD
The purpose of this Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award (K23) is to develop expertise for becoming an independent investigator in the study of medication continuity in children with ADHD cared for in primary care settings. The objective of the research study is to identify factors that promote continuity, including child/ADHD characteristics, medication management factors, and other factors that influence family decision-making. Despite research that indicates that most children with ADHD end up discontinuing treatment either by stopping altogether or periodically stopping and re-starting medicine, factors that predict medication continuity have not been fully elucidated. An observational cohort of 100 parents and their 6-10 year old child who is newly diagnosed with ADHD will be recruited from pediatric primary care practices and followed for 18 months to address three specific aims:
- Aim 1: Describe medication continuity among a community-based cohort of children with ADHD using objective measures of medication supply.
- Aim 2: Describe reasons parents stop and re-start their children’s medication treatment.
- Aim 3: Determine the relationship between factors that influence family treatment decision-making and medication continuity.
