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A comprehensive analysis of the national U.S. dataset on children diagnosed with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) highlights a significant public health challenge. Findings published in the Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology indicate that ADHD diagnoses among children aged 3-17 have surged, with approximately one million more children diagnosed in 2022 compared to 2016.
The study reveals that around one in nine children, or 11.4% (7.1 million children), have ever been diagnosed with ADHD. Currently, 10.5% (6.5 million children) are living with ADHD, with 58.1% experiencing moderate or severe symptoms. Additionally, 77.9% of children with ADHD have at least one co-occurring disorder. Despite the prevalence of the disorder, nearly one-third of children with ADHD did not receive any specific treatment for it in the past year.
The analysis, based on data from the 2022 National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH), underscores that ADHD prevalence in the U.S. is notably higher than in other countries. The research team, comprising experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, and the Health Resources and Services Administration, aimed to provide updated prevalence estimates and insights into the severity, co-occurring disorders, and treatment of ADHD.
The authors suggest that the increase in ADHD diagnoses can be attributed to various sociodemographic factors and societal changes, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children’s mental health. Increased awareness of ADHD symptoms, particularly those related to attention regulation, has also led to more diagnoses among girls, adolescents, and adults, as well as among racial and ethnic minority groups.
Key Findings:
- Demographic Disparities: Asian and Hispanic/Latino children had lower prevalence rates of diagnosed ADHD compared to White children. Conversely, children from lower-income households and those with lower parental education levels exhibited higher prevalence rates.
- Insurance Influence: Children with public insurance, or a combination of public and private insurance, had higher diagnosis and treatment rates than those with private insurance alone.
- Geographic Variation: ADHD prevalence and medication use were higher in the Northeast, Midwest, and South compared to the West. Rural and suburban areas also reported higher prevalence rates than urban areas.
The study also highlighted significant disparities in treatment access:
- Medication Use: Hispanic children and those from non-English-speaking households were less likely to take ADHD medication. Children with both public and private insurance were more likely to be medicated than those with private insurance only.
- Behavioral Treatment: Patterns of receiving behavioral treatment, such as mental health counseling, mirrored those of medication use, with demographic and geographic factors playing a significant role.
The researchers emphasize that these findings could inform clinical practices and policy decisions, aiming to improve access to care and services for children with ADHD. They advocate for further research into service delivery patterns during and post-pandemic, as well as the uptake and discontinuation of ADHD medication and behavioral treatments.
Despite its comprehensive scope, the study has limitations, including reliance on parent-reported data, which may not always align with medical records or clinical evaluations. Nonetheless, the findings provide crucial insights into the ongoing public health issue of ADHD among U.S. children and the need for targeted interventions to address disparities in diagnosis and treatment.
