Bipolar disease in children, adolescents: Discharge rates much higher in the US compared to UK
Thursday, May 22, 2014 - 19:21
in Health & Medicine
A significantly higher discharge rate for pediatric bipolar in children and adolescents aged 1-19 years has been found in the US compared to England. "The finding that the disparity between US and English discharge rates for PBD is markedly greater than the disparity for child psychiatric discharge rates overall, and for adult rates for bipolar disorder, is potentially important. However, the study design does not allow us to answer the question whether US clinicians are too liberal in assigning the diagnosis of bipolar disorder to youth or, alternatively, whether English clinicians fail to recognize or diagnose these illnesses. It is clear that the reasons for the disparity in the case of PBD warrant further study," the lead author says.