Prescribing ADHD drugs through telehealth doesn’t alter danger of substance use dysfunction, researchers discover

Telehealth could make well being care simpler to entry for sufferers with attention-deficit/hyperactivity dysfunction (ADHD) who want therapy, however consultants fear about an elevated danger of substance use dysfunction for sufferers being prescribed managed drugs akin to stimulants for ADHD throughout these appointments.

Mass Basic Brigham researchers scrutinized this concern with the first-ever research evaluating substance use dysfunction charges in sufferers with ADHD who had been prescribed stimulant drugs throughout in-person versus digital appointments.

They discovered that, general, telehealth was not related to an elevated danger of substance use dysfunction. Nonetheless, the researchers famous the significance of complete diagnoses and routine follow-ups. Outcomes are revealed within the American Journal of Psychiatry.

“Our research means that, usually, telehealth-based relationships—which make well being care extra accessible—may be secure and do not enhance the chance of substance use dysfunction,” stated lead writer Vinod Rao, MD, Ph.D., lead writer of the paper and habit psychiatrist and medical director of Grownup Ambulatory Psychiatry at Massachusetts Basic Hospital (MGH).

The researchers examined the digital well being information of seven,944 ADHD sufferers between March 2020 and August 2023, a time when many physicians pivoted to on-line care in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The researchers discovered that 91% of the sufferers had at the least one in-person go to with the prescriber across the time they acquired a stimulant prescription, whereas 9% of the sufferers had a telehealth-only relationship with their physician.

The research discovered that, general, sufferers who solely had telehealth visits to entry their ADHD treatment weren’t extra prone to develop a substance use dysfunction in comparison with sufferers who initially met their prescribers in particular person, after adjusting for different components like age and earnings.

Nonetheless, sufferers who acquired their preliminary stimulant prescription by means of telehealth had been at the next danger of creating a stimulant use dysfunction after adjusting for different components. Stimulant use dysfunction includes medication akin to prescription drugs, cocaine or methamphetamine, amongst different medication.

Sufferers aged 26 years and above who acquired an preliminary stimulant prescription throughout a telehealth appointment had been at the next danger of creating substance use problems than youthful sufferers.

The authors notice that, provided that solely 19 sufferers within the research developed a stimulant use dysfunction, the discovering may very well be coincidental. One other risk is that those that go for telehealth care are at larger danger of stimulant use dysfunction.

“Whereas we predict the findings must be replicated, the overwhelming majority of the information present no enhance in substance use dysfunction creating when sufferers solely use telehealth,” stated corresponding writer Timothy Wilens, MD, chief of the Division of Youngster and Adolescent Psychiatry and co-director of the Middle for Habit Medication at MGH.

“Our research helps using telehealth for ADHD stimulant remedy in scientific settings.”