December 23, 2021
In the five years from 2006 through 2010, the child falls led to 11,535 head injuries in the United States, costing a billion dollars to treat. Previous studies have shown that persons with ADHD were more prone to accidental falls than normally developing individuals. Just how strong is that association among American youth?
A team of Stanford University researchers examined data for falls among youths under 18 years old from the Nationwide Emergency Department Sample (NEDS), covering 953 hospitals in 36 states between 2010 and 2015. These included falls from stairs, ladders, or scaffolding; falls from buildings or other structures; falls into holes; other falls from one level to another; falls on the same level from collisions, pushing, shoving, slipping, tripping, or stumbling.
Out of almost 49 million injuries involving youths recorded by hospital emergency departments in the NEDS from 2010 to 2015, there were 13,217,237 million falls, 139,642 of which involved youths 5-17 years old with ADHD only. These were compared with almost 7.8 million involving youths 5-17 years old with developmental disabilities.
The team adjusted for the following covariates to reduce confounding: age category, sex, income, payment source, developmental disability status, and mechanism of fall.
Youths with ADHD were found to be roughly 75% more likely than normally developing youths to be admitted for unintentional falls in hospital emergency departments. They were about 60% more likely to be admitted for hospital stays exceeding two days. They were almost twice as likely to require surgery. And they were four times as likely to require intubation through the mouth and into the airway to be placed on a ventilator to assist with breathing.
These outcomes are not surprising, given that a large proportion of youths with ADHD are prone to be more inattentive and/or impulsive on average than their normally developing peers. But they underscore the need for parents and physicians to take preventive action to reduce the chance of harm.
The authors "suggest that practitioners who provide care for children with ADHD spend extra time on educating parents regarding the increased risk of falls, especially among older children, to decrease the odds of worse outcomes from unintentional falls."
Quynh-Uyen P. Nguyen, Olga Saynina, Elizabeth A. Pirrotta, Lynne C. Huffman, Nancy Ewen Wang, "A retrospective observational cohort study: Epidemiology and outcomes of pediatric unintentional falls in US emergency departments," Injury(2021), published online,https://doi.org/10.1016/j.injury.2021.05.017.
.png)
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.
_logo%201.svg)
