An Analysis of the Significant Variation in Psychostimulant Use Across the U.S. and Teachers’ Perceptions of ADHD and its Treatment
Table 2
Characteristics of Counties with High and Low Per Capita Use of Psychostimulants, DEA’s ARCOS Database
Differences in Means for all U.S. Counties for Methylphenidate and Amphetamine Combined (2000)
Variable
Mean for all
U.S. Counties
(Standard Error)
Low Consumption
n=1,515 counties
(Standard Error)
High Consumption
n=1,515 counties
(Standard Error)
Psychostimulant Distribution Rate (grams/per 100,000k)***
3,359 grams^
(37.31)
1,796 grams^
(20.72)
4,923 grams^
(43.50)
Total Population***
89,327
(52.22)
65,680
(86.25)
114,000
(59.34)
Per Capita Income***
$21,397
(130.8)
$20,118
(159.2)
$22,760
(204.6)
Unemployment Rate***
4.9%
(0.049)
5.4%
(0.079)
4.4%
(0.055)
% of Pop. With Some Form of Health Insurance***
82.9%
(0.10)
82.1%
(0.137)
83.7%
(0.131)
White Population as Percentage of Total Population**
81.9%
(0.290)
81.1%
(0.455)
82.6%
(0.362)
Black Population as Percentage of Total Population
12.7%
(0.280)
13.2%
(0.438)
12.4%
(0.352)
Asian Population as Percentage of the Total Population
4.5%
(0.280)
5.5%
(0.441)
3.4%
(0.358)
State has Schedule II Rx Monitoring Program***
30.7%
(0.008)
34.3%
(0.012)
27.0%
(0.012)
Soci
o
-
dem
ogr
ap
hi
c a
n
d
E
c
o
n
omi
c
Cha
r
a
c
teristics
Children/Adolescents as a % of the Population***
26.0%
(0.061)
26.2%
(0.10)
25.8%
(0.075)
Students--to--Teacher Ratio***
14.6
(0.048)
14.3
(0.070)
14.8
(0.066)
Private Students--to--Public Students Ratio***
.058
(0.001)
.043
(0.0018)
.069
(0.002)
Private Coed--to--Private Non-Coed Students***
58.0
(8.609)
38.0
(8.092)
68.3
(12.33)
Ed
uca
tio
na
l
Cha
r
a
c
teristics
Private Sectarian--to--Private Non-Sectarian Students***
23.8
(2.755)
14.5
(2.072)
28.5
(3.990)
HMO Penetration
(% of Individuals Enrolled in HMOs
)***
12.1%
(0.248)
10.2%
(0.322)
14.1%
(0.374)
Number of HMOs Operating in a County***
3.9
(0.069)
3.4
(0.092)
4.5
(0.101)
MDs/per 100,000 Individuals***
112
(2.690)
86
(3.50)
139
(4.00)
Child Psychiatrists as Percentage of Total MDs***
0.4%
(0.026)
0.3%
(0.038)
0.5%
(0.036)
Psychiatrists as Percentage of Total MDs***
3.0%
(0.099)
2.5%
(0.149)
3.4%
(0.119)
GPs, FPs as Percentage of Total MDs***
41.1%
(0.515)
47.7%
(0.757)
34.7%
(0.662)
Pediatricians as Percentage of Total MDs***
5.5%
(0.129)
4.9%
(0.200)
6.1%
(0.166)
Neurologists as Percentage of Total MDs***
0.9%
(0.046
)
0.7%
(0.085)
1.1%
(0.039)
Any Psychiatrists Present?***
.544
(009)
.684
(.012)
.401
(.013)
Any Child Psychiatrists Present?***
.777
(.007)
.882
(.008)
.671
(.012)
Any Neurologists Present?***
.691
(.008)
.820
(.009)
.559
(.012)
Any Pediatricians Present?***
.434
(.009)
.554
(.013)
.307
(.012)
Female MDs--to--Male MDs Ratio
.210
(0.004)
.210
(0.006)
.210
(0.004)
Hea
lth System Cha
r
a
c
teristics
Younger MDs(<55)--to--Senior MDs(>55) Ratio***
1.8
(0.023)
1.6
(0.035)
1.9
(0.030)
* Indicates that the variable’s “difference in means” is statistically significant at the .10 level, ** at the .05 level, *** at the .01 level.
^ Grams/per dosage unit.
19
Convention