UK psychiatrists' experience of withdrawal of antipsychotics prescribed for challenging behaviours in adults with intellectual disabilities and/or autism.

ABSTRACT:

Background

A high proportion of adults with intellectual disabilities are prescribed off-licence antipsychotics in the absence of a psychiatric illness. The National Health Service in England launched an initiative in 2016, 'Stopping over-medication of people with a learning disability [intellectual disability], autism or both' (STOMP), to address this major public health concern.

Aims

To gain understanding from UK psychiatrists working with adults with intellectual disabilities on the successes and challenges of withdrawing antipsychotics for challenging behaviours.

Method

An online questionnaire was sent to all UK psychiatrists working in the field of intellectual disability (estimated 225).

Results

Half of the 88 respondents stated that they started withdraw

SUBMITTER: Deb S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7576649 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature