Back to Search
Start Over
How common is attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder? Incidence in a population-based birth cohort in Rochester, Minn
- Source :
- Archives of pediatricsadolescent medicine. 156(3)
- Publication Year :
- 2002
-
Abstract
- Context The frequency of occurrence of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD) is in dispute. This uncertainty has contributed to the concern that too many children in the United States are being treated with stimulant medication. Objectives To determine the cumulative incidence of AD/HD in a population-based birth cohort and to estimate the prevalence of pharmacologic treatment for children who fulfill research criteria for AD/HD. Design Population-based birth cohort study. Setting and Subjects All children born between 1976 and 1982 in Rochester, Minn, who remained in the community after age 5 years (N = 5718). Main Outcome Measures Medical and school records were reviewed for clinical diagnoses of AD/HD and supporting documentation (symptoms consistent with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition criteria and positive results for AD/HD-related questionnaires). Research-identified cases were defined as: (1) "definite" AD/HD (clinical diagnosis and at least one type of supporting documentation); (2) "probable" AD/HD (clinical diagnosis but no supporting documentation or no clinical diagnosis but both types of supporting documentation); (3) "questionable" AD/HD (no clinical diagnosis, but at least one type of supporting documentation); and (4) "not AD/HD" (all other subjects). Information about pharmacologic treatment for AD/HD was abstracted for all subjects. Results The highest estimate of the cumulative incidence at age 19 years (with 95% confidence interval) of AD/HD (definite plus probable plus questionable AD/HD) was 16.0% (14.7-17.3). The lowest estimate (definite AD/HD only) was 7.4% (6.5-8.4). Prevalence of treatment with stimulant medication was 86.5% for definite AD/HD, 40.0% for probable AD/HD, 6.6% for questionable AD/HD, and 0.2% for not AD/HD. Conclusions These results provide insight into the apparent discrepancies in estimates of the occurrence of AD/HD, with less stringent criteria resulting in higher cumulative incidence. Children who met the most stringent criteria for AD/HD were most likely to receive pharmacologic treatment.
- Subjects :
- Male
medicine.medical_specialty
Pediatrics
Adolescent
Population
Context (language use)
Severity of Illness Index
Cohort Studies
Age Distribution
Risk Factors
Epidemiology
Severity of illness
medicine
Confidence Intervals
Prevalence
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
Humans
Cumulative incidence
Sex Distribution
education
Child
Proportional Hazards Models
education.field_of_study
Psychotropic Drugs
business.industry
Incidence (epidemiology)
medicine.disease
Drug Utilization
United States
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity
Child, Preschool
Population Surveillance
Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health
Female
business
Cohort study
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 10724710
- Volume :
- 156
- Issue :
- 3
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Archives of pediatricsadolescent medicine
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....a5d52e27dda12c38ea1b7fa5b0f243de