Trending ADHD Papers
Light
Visual Abstract
Incidence, prevalence, and global burden of ADHD from 1990 to 2019 across 204 countries: data, with critical re-analysis, from the Global Burden of Disease study
Global burden and trends of ADHD (1990-2019)
December 9, 2024
author
Cortese S, Song M, Farhat LC, Yon DK, Lee SW, Kim MS, Park S, Oh JW, Lee S, Cheon KA, Smith L, Gosling CJ, Polanczyk GV, Larsson H, Rohde LA, Faraone SV, Koyanagi A, Dragioti E, Radua J, Carvalho AF, Il Shin J, Solmi M
journal
Mol Psychiatry
Date Published
2023 Nov
Why link to a visual abstract?
What is a visual abstract?
Visual Original
Study Summary
🔬
What They Studied
Researchers focused on understanding the global incidence, prevalence, and burden of ADHD from 1990 to 2019, and examined whether the Global Burden of Disease study accurately captured these figures.
💡
What They Found
They found that the GBD study potentially underestimated ADHD's prevalence and burden, with ADHD incidences decreasing globally but showing regional variations, and higher burden in males than females.
📚
What This Means
These findings suggest that the GBD study's estimates might not fully reflect the reality of ADHD worldwide, underscoring the need for improved methodology, especially compared to earlier estimates and newer meta-analytic evidence on ADHD-related mortality.
Study Overview
Background & Objectives
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often shows symptoms like inattentiveness and hyperactivity, impacting daily life. Methylphenidate is a common medication prescribed to manage these symptoms.
A recent study aimed to illuminate ADHD's incidence, prevalence, and burden worldwide from 1990 to 2019. It sought to clarify how often ADHD occurs and affects people globally, providing a clearer picture of its global impact.
A recent study aimed to illuminate ADHD's incidence, prevalence, and burden worldwide from 1990 to 2019. It sought to clarify how often ADHD occurs and affects people globally, providing a clearer picture of its global impact.
Abstract: background
Data on incidence, prevalence and burden of ADHD are crucial for clinicians, patients, and stakeholders. We present the incidence, prev...more
Study Summary
Methods
The researchers calculated how many people actually have ADHD using collected data, instead of relying solely on estimates for countries without data. They also compared the GBD estimates on ADHD with recent studies on ADHD-related deaths.
This was done to check the accuracy of the GBD's figures, ensuring a reliable picture of ADHD's global presence.
This was done to check the accuracy of the GBD's figures, ensuring a reliable picture of ADHD's global presence.
Abstract: methods
We also: (1) calculated the ADHD prevalence based on data actually collected as opposed to the prevalence estimated by the GBD with dat...more
Study Results
Results
In 2019, ADHD was estimated to affect around 1.13% of people globally, a small drop since 1990. The U.S. saw the highest increase in cases, while Finland had the largest decline. ADHD affects boys about 2.5 times more than girls. Symptoms usually show up by ages 5 to 9.
Before 2013, children showed twice the prevalence rates than what GBD suggested, matching across countries no matter the income levels.
Before 2013, children showed twice the prevalence rates than what GBD suggested, matching across countries no matter the income levels.
Abstract: results
In 2019, GBD estimated global age-standardized incidence and prevalence of ADHD across the lifespan at 0.061% (95%UI = 0.040-0.087) and...more
Study Summary
Conclusions
The GBD study offers detailed insights into ADHD patterns over time and across nations, but it may have underestimated true prevalence. This has big impacts on how research is directed and how policies are made.
Improving future GBD studies by addressing these gaps is crucial, as they greatly influence related health strategies worldwide.
Improving future GBD studies by addressing these gaps is crucial, as they greatly influence related health strategies worldwide.
Abstract: conclusions
While it provides the most detailed evidence on temporal trends, as well as on geographic and sex variations in incidence, prevalence, and burden of ADHD, the GBD may have underestimated the ADHD prevalence and burden. Given the influence of the GBD ...more
Clinical Guidelines
Guidelines suggest that ADHD-specific rating scales offer high sensitivity and specificity, exceeding 90%. Longer-acting stimulants show a reduced likelihood of abuse compared to short-acting ones. Behavioral family approaches and school-based training benefit adolescents and their families.
Comprehensive evaluations for ADHD should screen for comorbid conditions, such as anxiety and learning disorders. Obtaining teacher reports for adolescents poses challenges due to multiple teachers.
Stimulant medications generally have good tolerance when taken correctly.
Comprehensive evaluations for ADHD should screen for comorbid conditions, such as anxiety and learning disorders. Obtaining teacher reports for adolescents poses challenges due to multiple teachers.
Stimulant medications generally have good tolerance when taken correctly.
Literature Review
Erskine et al, 2017
Core Insight:Both papers examine mental disorder prevalence, but the main paper focuses on ADHD's incidence, prevalence, and burden globally, while the comparison paper evaluates data coverage for various mental disorders, highlighting limited data representation.
What It Adds:
Coverage Limitations: Comparison paper highlights poor data coverage for mental disorders.
Focus on LMICs: Comparison paper shows low data representation in low- and middle-income countries.
Shared Themes:Both papers emphasize the need for better data collection and methodology improvements to accurately understand mental disorder prevalence.
