Trends in the parent-report of health care provider-diagnosed and medicated attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: United States, 2003-2011.
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Serial cross-sectional survey analysis of nationally representative survey data.
PubMed 24342384 · doi:10.1016/j.jaac.2013.09.001
What was done
Authors evaluated weighted data from the 2003, 2007, and 2011 National Survey of Children's Health (NSCH) to estimate the prevalence and temporal trends of parent-reported healthcare provider-diagnosed ADHD, current ADHD, ADHD medication use, ADHD severity, and mean age of diagnosis among US children and adolescents aged 4 to 17 years. Comparisons across survey waves were made using prevalence ratios and 95% confidence intervals.
What was found
In 2011, 11% of US youth aged 4 to 17 years (6.4 million children) had ever received an ADHD diagnosis, reflecting a 42% increase from 2003 (approximately 2 million additional children). Among those with a history of ADHD diagnosis in 2011, 83% were reported as currently having ADHD (8.8% of all children), and 69% of those with current ADHD were taking medication for it (6.1% of all children, or 3.5 million). From 2007 to 2011, parent-reported medicated ADHD prevalence increased by 28%, with significant increases also observed for history of ADHD, current ADHD, and moderate/severe ADHD.
Why it matters
This study documents substantial, sustained increases in pediatric ADHD diagnoses and stimulant/medication use across the United States between 2003 and 2011, highlighting an increasing demand on healthcare systems.
Limits
The abstract does not report the total survey sample size (n). All diagnostic, severity, and medication data rely on parent recall rather than verified medical charts or clinical assessments, introducing potential reporting or recall bias.
Cited by
- context Approximately 6.5 million American children have an ADHD diagnosis, with about two-thirds receiving medication.