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Health Dictionary

Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.

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Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder epidemiology and demographics

Introduction

Overview

Overview

The prevalence of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is estimated to be 5,000 per 100,000 (5%) children and 2,500 per 100,000 (2.5%) adults.[1] Boys are more commonly affected by ADHD than girls. The male to female ratio is 2 to 1.[2]

Epidemiology and Demographics

Epidemiology and Demographics

Prevalence

  • The prevalence of ADHD in children is 5,000 per 100,000 (5%) of the overall population.[1]
  • The prevalence of ADHD in adults is 2,500 per 100,000 (2.5%) of the overall population.[1] The prevalence of diagnosis is increasing in adults to 354 per 1000,000 in 2011[3].

Incidence

  • The percentage of children age 4-17 years diagnosed with ADHD increased from 7.8 percent in 2003 to 11 percent in 2011.[4][5]

Age

  • ADHD is usually first diagnosed in school-aged children. For an adult to be diagnosed with ADHD, the patient’s symptoms must have been present prior to the age of 12.[6] However, the average age at diagnosis is 7 years.[5]

Gender

  • ADHD is more prevalent in males than in females. The male to female ratio is approximately 2 to 1.[2]

Race

  • ADHD is observed in patients of all racial/ethnic backgrounds, but does appear to be most common in non-Hispanic Caucasians.[2]
References

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders : DSM-5. Washington, D.C: American Psychiatric Association. 2013. ISBN 0890425558.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Briars, L., & Todd, T. (2016). A Review of Pharmacological Management of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. The Journal of Pediatric Pharmacology and Therapeutics : JPPT, 21(3), 192–206. http://doi.org/10.5863/1551-6776-21.3.192.
  3. ↑ Polyzoi M, Ahnemark E, Medin E, Ginsberg Y (2018). “Estimated prevalence and incidence of diagnosed ADHD and health care utilization in adults in Sweden – a longitudinal population-based register study”. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 14: 1149–1161. doi:10.2147/NDT.S155838. PMC 5944447. PMID 29765219.
  4. ↑ Zuvekas SH, Vitiello B (2012). “Stimulant medication use in children: a 12-year perspective”. Am J Psychiatry. 169 (2): 160–6. doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.2011.11030387. PMC 3548321. PMID 22420039.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Center for Disease Control and Prevention http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/data.html Accessed on Oct 14, 2016.
  6. ↑ National Institute of Mental Health (NIH). (2016). “Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.”

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Kiran Singh, M.D. [2], Haleigh Williams, B.S.