National trends in the mental health care of children, adolescents, and adults by office-based physicians.

IMPORTANCE Despite evidence of the increasing use of psychotropic medications, little is known about the broader changes in the delivery of outpatient mental health treatment to children, adolescents, and adults. OBJECTIVE To assess national trends and patterns in the mental health care of children, adolescents, and adults in office-based medical practice. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Outpatient visits to physicians in office-based practice from the 1995-2010 National Ambulatory Medical Care Surveys (N = 446 542). Trends (1995-2010) in visits with mental health care indicators are first compared between youths (<21 years) and adults (≥21 years) and then between children (0-13 years) and adolescents (14-20 years). Background and clinical characteristics of recent visits (2007-2010) resulting in a mental disorder diagnosis are also compared among children, adolescents, and adults. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Visits resulting in mental disorder diagnoses, prescription of psychotropic medications, provision of psychotherapy, or psychiatrist care. RESULTS Between 1995-1998 and 2007-2010, visits resulting in mental disorder diagnoses per 100 population increased significantly faster for youths (from 7.78 to 15.30 visits) than for adults (from 23.23 to 28.48 visits) (interaction: P < .001). Psychiatrist visits also increased significantly faster for youths (from 2.86 to 5.71 visits) than for adults (from 10.22 to 10.87 visits) (interaction: P < .001). Psychotropic medication visits increased at comparable rates for youths (from 8.35 to 17.12 visits) and adults (from 30.76 to 65.90 visits) (interaction: P = .13). While psychotherapy visits increased from 2.25 to 3.17 per 100 population for youths, they decreased from 8.37 to 6.36 for adults (interaction: P < .001). In 2007-2010, 27.4% of child visits, 47.9% of adolescent visits, and 36.6% of adult visits resulting in a mental disorder diagnosis were to a psychiatrist. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Compared with adult mental health care, the mental health care of young people has increased more rapidly and has coincided with increased psychotropic medication use. A great majority of mental health care in office-based medical practice to children, adolescents, and adults is provided by nonpsychiatrist physicians calling for increased consultation and communication between specialties.