January 20, 2022
Taiwan's National Birth Registration database tracks every birth. Using all entries from 2005, random sampling was used to create the Taiwan Birth Cohort Study of 24,200 mother-infant pairs, which were geographically distributed and represented 12 percent of all births.
As this was an eight-year longitudinal study, there were dropouts, and 17,256 pairs completed the study. After excluding cases with fetal distress, smoking or alcohol use during pregnancy, and missing information on covariates, the final study population was 16,376.
Participants' addresses during gestation were geocoded to the township level, and local air pollution data was retrieved for the years 2004 to 2006 from air quality monitoring stations administered by Taiwan's Environmental Protection Administration. Every hour, each station records levels of nitric oxide (NO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur dioxide (SO2), carbon monoxide (CO), and particulate matter of diameter 10 μm or less (PM10).
The Taiwanese research team addressed several potential confounding factors: sex, maternal age, delivery method (cesarean section or not), birth in summer (June-August), urban or rural residence, and annual household income.
Because ADHD is primarily observable as hyperactivity rather than inattention among young children, the team focused on relating symptoms of hyperactivity to levels of air pollutants.
After adjusting for covariates, the team found no significant association between PM10 and SO2 levels and hyperactivity disorder. Nitrogen oxide levels, on the other hand, were associated with more than 25 percent higher odds of hyperactivity.
Breaking that down further, they found no significant association with NO2, and that the 25 percent higher odds were exclusive with nitric oxide (NO), a pollutant emitted by internal combustion engines in cars, trucks, and busses. NO is a free radical, meaning it has an unpaired electron that can damage the body because of its strong chemical reactivity.
The authors noted, "Our study has some limitations. First, hyperactivity was diagnosed based on a parent-reported physician or specialist diagnosis. Although we did not inquire which specialists made these diagnoses, they must have been a pediatrician, psychiatrist, or special education teacher. ... Second, the calculated exposure to ambient air pollutants was not an accurate personal exposure because it did not take indoor air pollutant levels and time-activity patterns into consideration. Applying personal environmental monitoring in such a large sample is impractical, especially when the subjects are pregnant."
Nevertheless, they emphasized, "this is the first study attempting to discover which component of NOx is more critical to the development of hyperactivity in offspring."
Ping Shih, Ching-Chun Huang, Shih-Chun Pan, Tung-Luang Chiang Yue Leon Guo, "Hyperactivity disorder in children related to traffic-based air pollution during pregnancy," Environmental Research(2020),188: 109588, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2020.109588.
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A recent study from Istanbul sheds light on how psychiatric admissions and diagnoses changed during the first few months of the pandemic compared to previous periods, offering critical insights for parents, clinicians, and policymakers.
This study, conducted by a team of researchers led by Ozalp Ekinci, examined psychiatric admissions among children and adolescents during 2019 and 2020.
By looking at diagnosis rates for various psychiatric conditions, the researchers aimed to pinpoint shifts in the mental health landscape as a direct response to the pandemic.
The analysis revealed several notable trends in psychiatric diagnoses among children and adolescents:
This study’s findings highlight some key takeaways that can guide mental health support efforts for children and adolescents:
As we continue to see the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health, studies like this one serve as important reminders of the unique mental health needs of young people. Supporting children and adolescents through proactive and targeted mental health services—especially during times of crisis—will be crucial to fostering resilience and well-being in future generations.
Adult ADHD has long been a subject of debate in the field of mental health, with previous estimates of its prevalence varying widely. To achieve a more precise understanding, an international team of researchers conducted a new umbrella review and meta-analysis, offering an updated estimate of adult ADHD rates worldwide.
This large-scale analysis combined five systematic reviews and meta-analyses, incorporating data from 57 unique primary studies. Altogether, the research synthesized findings from a pooled total of over 21 million participants. This comprehensive approach provided a more accurate estimate of the global prevalence of ADHD in adults.
The study concluded that the worldwide prevalence of adult ADHD is 3.1%, with a 95% confidence interval ranging from 2.6% to 3.6%. This estimate falls within the range of earlier reports but provides a more targeted understanding of the rate at which ADHD affects adults globally.
The researchers described this prevalence rate as “relatively high.” They noted that it is only slightly lower than the estimated prevalence of major mental health conditions like schizophrenia (4%) and major depressive disorder (5%)—disorders that have historically received significant attention and resources worldwide.
Moreover, the prevalence of adult ADHD is higher than that of several other well-known mental health conditions, including bipolar disorder (1%), as well as anxiety disorders such as PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder), GAD (Generalized Anxiety Disorder), and panic disorders.
This updated estimate emphasizes that ADHD is a significant global mental health concern in adults, comparable to or exceeding the prevalence of other disorders that are often more widely recognized. These findings underscore the need for greater awareness, research, and treatment options for adult ADHD, which is still frequently misunderstood or overlooked in the broader discourse of mental health.
By providing a clearer picture of how prevalent ADHD is in adult populations around the world, this study contributes valuable data that could shape future research, policy, and clinical approaches.
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) remains a prevalent condition among children and adolescents in the United States. A recent analysis based on the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics at the CDC, provides an updated look at ADHD prevalence from 2018 to 2021. Here’s a closer look at what the data reveals.
The NHIS is an annual survey primarily conducted through face-to-face interviews in respondents’ homes. Telephone interviews are used as a substitute in cases where travel is impractical. For each family interviewed, one child aged 3-17 is randomly selected for the survey through a computer program. Over the four years studied (2018-2021), a total of 26,422 households with children or adolescents participated.
The analysis found that 9.5% of children and adolescents in the United States had been diagnosed with ADHD, based on reports from family members. However, the prevalence varied significantly with age:
The increase in ADHD diagnosis with age underscores the importance of monitoring children’s developmental needs as they progress through school and adolescence.
The survey revealed a notable difference in ADHD prevalence between genders, with 12.4% of males diagnosed compared to 6.6% of females—nearly a two-to-one gap. This aligns with previous research indicating that ADHD is more frequently diagnosed in boys than girls, though awareness of how ADHD presents differently across genders is growing.
Family income played a significant role in ADHD prevalence, particularly among lower-income groups:
This pattern suggests that socioeconomic factors might influence the diagnosis and management of ADHD, with lower-income families possibly experiencing greater barriers to early diagnosis or consistent treatment.
Geographic location also impacted ADHD rates. Prevalence was highest in the South (11.3%), followed by the Midwest (10%), the Northeast (9.1%), and significantly lower in the West (6.9%). These variations could reflect regional differences in healthcare access, diagnostic practices, or cultural attitudes towards ADHD.
Despite these variations in demographics, the overall prevalence of ADHD remained relatively stable across the study period from 2018 to 2021, showing no significant changes by year.
The findings from this updated analysis provide a clearer picture of ADHD’s prevalence across different demographic groups in the United States. They highlight the need for tailored approaches to diagnosis and care, taking into account factors like age, gender, income, and geographic location. With ADHD being a common condition affecting nearly 1 in 10 children, ongoing research and support for families are crucial to ensure that those with ADHD receive the care and resources they need.
This study reinforces the importance of awareness and early intervention, especially for families in underserved regions or those facing economic challenges. As clinicians and educators continue to support children with ADHD, understanding these demographic trends can help in creating more equitable access to diagnosis and treatment.
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