Hospital stays for bipolar disorder among children aged 1-17 years increased 434% from 1997 to 2010, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality reported.
In 2010, the rate of bipolar stays in children under age 18 was 8.2 per 10,000 population, compared with 1.5 per 10,000 in 1997, with the increase occurring in all ages, the AHRQ said.
The admission rate in children aged 5-9 years went from 0.4 to 3.2 per 10,000, an increase of 696%. Among children 10-14 years old, the rate was 2.0/10,000 in 1997 and 11.2/10,000 in 2010, an increase of 475%. The bipolar admission rate for those aged 15-17 years rose 345%, going from 4.8/10,000 in 1997 to 21.1/10,000 in 2010, according to the report.
In 2010, bipolar disorder accounted for 48% of hospital stays for mood disorders in children, compared with 16% in 1997, the AHRQ said.
