BEIJING, May 5 (Xinhuanet) -- U.S. researchers said Tuesday use of psychiatric drugs such as antidepressants, antipsychotics and Alzheimer's medicines have doubled between 1996 and 2006.

    They said 73 percent more adults and 50 percent more children are using drugs to treat mental illness than in 1996.

    The rising number of people of all ages received treatment for mental disorders over the 10 years, but there's evidence that the most seriously ill may be receiving less care from specialists, said the study by health policy researchers Sherry Glied of Columbia University and Richard Frank of Harvard Medical School.

    The report in Health Affairs covers trends in the well-being of those with mental health problems.

    The researchers culled data from several large public surveys of health in the United States, including from the National Center for Health Statistics, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and the Social Security Administration.

    According to Glied, expanded drug coverage under Medicare, the federal insurance program for the elderly, and the State Children's Health Insurance Program for poor children, helped make such drugs more affordable.

    The study found the number of children diagnosed and treated for mental health conditions by their primary care doctor doubled between 1996 and 2006.

    "The increases in prescription drug use were particularly rapid in the early part of this decade, between 1996 to 2001," Glied said. "For most groups, they have slowed down since then."

    Glied said the biggest problem has been little progress in access to care among people with more serious mental illness. They found treatment for older adults with mental limitations who need help dressing, eating, or bathing fell between 1996 and 2006.

    About 7 percent of Americans with serious mental illness wind up in jail or prison every year, the researchers said.

    "New policies are desperately needed to reduce the flow of people whose primary problem is a mental disorder into the criminal justice system," said Glied and Frank.

    (Agencies)