This retrospective study examined prescription medication records for 1 year in a county-funded juvenile detention facility.
Findings show that 7% of the detained youths were prescribed psychotherapeutic agents, which accounted for approximately 83% of the annual medication budget. Of the 799 male and 227 female detained youths, 14% of the males and 27% of the females were prescribed medications, with some prescribed as many as 23 different medications during their short-term stay.
More than 93% of the total medication costs were accounted for by psychotherapeutic agents, antibiotics, and allergy/asthma medications at an average monthly cost of $46.50 per youth. Male youths who were prescribed medications cost $324 per month; their female counterparts cost $170 per month.
"Predicting medication costs and usage: expenditures in a juvenile detention facility"
Tennyson DH
J Correct Health Care. 2009 Apr ; 15(2): 98-104(hubmed.org)
