Doctors in the U.S. are more likely to prescribe stimulants, antidepressants and other psychotropic drugs to youth than doctors in the Netherlands and Germany, Medpage Today reported Sept. 24.

Researchers at  the University of Maryland examined administrative claims data for the year 2000 on insured children and teens in the Netherlands, Germany and the U.S. and found that use of psychotropic medications in the U.S. was 2.27 times higher than in the Netherlands and 3.33 times higher than in Germany. Prevalence of prescription psychotropic drug use was 6.66 percent among American youths, compared to 2.9 and 2 percent, respectively, among Dutch and German youths.

Prescriptions for psychotropic drugs have increased over the last 10 years across western Europe and the United States, the researchers said.

"Differences in policies regarding direct-to-consumer drug advertising, government regulatory restrictions, reimbursement policies, as well as diagnostic classification systems and cultural beliefs regarding the role of medication for emotional and behavioral treatment are likely to account for these differences," the researchers said.

The number of per-capita child psychiatrists was higher in the U.S. than in Europe, as well, which the researchers said might explain some of the differences in prescribing practices.

The findings were published online on Sept. 25, 2008 in the journal Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health.