%0 Journal Article
%T Student
%A Angela B. Snyder
%A Arden Handler
%A Dennis Kramer
%A Garry McGiboney
%A Joyce Sebian
%A Susanna N. Visser
%J Journal of Attention Disorders
%@ 1557-1246
%D 2019
%R 10.1177/1087054715569601
%X Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between school climate and ADHD medication treatment among adolescents in Medicaid in Georgia. Method: School climate and Medicaid claims data were aggregated for 159 GA counties. County-level school climate percentile and medicated ADHD prevalence were calculated. The t tests and regression models evaluated the relationship between school climate, medicated ADHD, and demographics, weighted by county population. Poorer 2008 school climate (<25th percentile) was regressed on 2011 medicated ADHD prevalence, controlling for potential confounders. Results: The prevalence of medicated ADHD was 7.8% among Medicaid-enrolled GA adolescents. The average county-level prevalence of medicated ADHD was 10.0% (SD = 2.9%). Poorer school climate was associated with lower rates of medicated ADHD (p < .0001); along with demographics, these factors accounted for 50% of the county variation in medicated ADHD. Conclusion: School climate is associated with medicated ADHD among adolescents in Medicaid. Additional research may reveal whether high medicated ADHD may reflect a lack of access to non-pharmacological therapies in some communities
%K school climate
%K ADHD
%K behavioral problems
%K health care utilization
%K medication treatment
%U https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1087054715569601