What is the prevalence of ADHD

What is the prevalence of ADHD?

In one large study of some 4,500 children in North Carolina (Angold, A. et al. (2000) Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 39, 975-984), the rate was found to be 3.4% overall. As well, there were an additional 2.7% suffering from significant impairment of ADHD-like symptoms (this is called ADHD-Not Otherwise Specified, or ADHD-NOS for short).

Of the 3.4% composition, boys were found at the rate of 5.3%, versus a 1.5% rate for girls.

The largest survey of this type, compiled by researchers at Washington State University, examined data from all reporting U.S. physicians involving over eight million diagnosis of ADHD. For the latest years of the study (1997-1998), the overall rate of a physician-confirmed ADHD diagnosis was 5.7% of all children, with girls at 3.3% and boys at 7.8%.

However, one large scale survey of over 400 family-practice doctors and pediatricians (Wasserman, R.C., et. al.; (1999). Pediatrics, 103, pp. e38) indicated that primary care physicians are three times more likely to identify ADHD in boys than girls, even when equal symptoms are present. This suggests that the prevalence of ADHD may, in fact, be much higher, if the rate for girls is trebled. It also suggests that ADHD in girls may approach the rate seen for boys.



... another random musing