Challenges in defining the rates of ADHD diagnosis and treatment: trends over the last decade

BMC Pediatrics

Research Article

Avi Porath¹  Michael Davidovitch²  Naama Fund³  Maayan Shrem⁴  Gideon Koren⁵ 

[1] Chief Physician Office, Medical Division, Maccabi Healthcare Services, Tel Aviv, Israel;Department of Epidemiology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel;Department of Child Development, Medical Division, Maccabi Healthcare Services, 27 Hamered St., 6812509, Tel Aviv, Israel;Department of Health Services Research, Maccabi Healthcare Services, Tel Aviv, Israel;Faculty of Medicine in the Galilee, Bar-Ilan University, Safed, Israel;Research Institute, Maccabi Healthcare Services, Tel Aviv, Israel;Western University, Ontario, Canada;

关键词: ADHD;    Prevalence;    Incidence;    Treatment;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12887-017-0971-0

 received in 2016-09-20, accepted in 2017-12-13,  发布年份 2017

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundThere is a global trend of large increases in the prevalence and incidence of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). This study aimed to address potential causes of these major changes.MethodsThe authors used a large cohort to analyze data employing patients’ electronic medical records, with physicians’ diagnosis of ADHD, including records of medication purchases.ResultsThe prevalence of ADHD diagnoses rose twofold from 6.8% to 14.4% between 2005 and 2014 (p < 0.001), while the ratio of males to females with ADHD decreased from 2.94 in 2005 to 1.86 in 2014 (p < 0.001). The incidence increased, peaking in 2011 before declining in 2014. ADHD medication usage by children and adolescents was 3.57% in 2005 and 8.51% by 2014 (p < 0.001).ConclusionsWe report a dramatic increase in the rate of ADHD diagnoses. One of the leading factors to which we attribute this increase is the physicians’ and parents’ changed attitude towards diagnosing attention/hyperactivity problems, with more parents appear to consider ADHD diagnosis and treatment as a means to improve their child’s academic achievements, commonly with the aid of medications. This change in attitude may also be associated with the dramatic increase in female ADHD diagnosis prevalence.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© The Author(s). 2017