Most children with ADHD don't receive treatment for their symptoms, contrary to common belief: JAMA

Characterizing the extent and pattern of unmet needs for treatment of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) could help target efforts to improve access to ADHD medications and outpatient mental health care.

A study was done to describe current ADHD medication use and lifetime outpatient mental health care among a large national sample of children with ADHD.

This study uses cross-sectional survey data from the first wave of the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development Study (n = 11 723), conducted from June 1, 2016, to October 15, 2018, among 1206 school children aged 9 and 10 years who met parent-reported Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fifth Edition) criteria for current ADHD. Statistical analysis was performed from March 23, 2022, to March 10, 2023. Current ADHD medications including stimulants and nonstimulants, lifetime outpatient mental health care, or either treatment. Weighted results are reported.

Results

Among a sample of 11 723 children, 1206 had parent-reported ADHD, 759 White, non-Hispanic children were currently receiving ADHD medications. Children receiving ADHD medications included a significantly higher percentage of boys, White children than Black children, children of parents without a high school education than of parents with a bachelor’s degree or higher , and children with the combined subtype of ADHD than with the inattentive subtype Approximately 26.2% of children (301 of 1206) with parent-reported ADHD had ever received outpatient mental health care. Children receiving outpatient mental health care included a significantly higher percentage of children whose parents had a high school education or some college than a bachelor’s degree or higher, children with family incomes of less than $25 000 or $25 000 to $49 999 han $75 000 or more, and children with the combined subtype of ADHD than with the predominantly inattentive subtype or the hyperactive-impulsive subtype of ADHD.

This cross-sectional study of children with parent-reported ADHD suggests that most were not receiving ADHD medications and had never received outpatient mental health care. Gaps in treatment, which were not directly associated with socioeconomic disadvantage, underscore the challenges of improving communication and access to outpatient mental health care for children with ADHD.

Reference:

Olfson M, Wall MM, Wang S, Laje G, Blanco C. Treatment of US Children With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study. JAMA Netw Open. 2023;6(4):e2310999.

doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.10999