Childhood attention‐deficit hyperactivity disorder: socioeconomic inequalities in symptoms, impact, diagnosis and medication

• DOI: 10.1111/camh.12707
• Publication Date: 2024-03-18T10:45:03Z
• Authors: Anna Pearce; Paul Henery; S. Vittal Katikir...; Ruth Dundas; Alastair H. Leyland; Dasha Nicholls; Russell M. Viner; Lynda Fenton; Steven Hope
• Keywords: Disadvantaged

Background Children from disadvantaged backgrounds are at greater risk of attention‐deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)‐related symptoms, being diagnosed with ADHD, and prescribed ADHD medications. We aimed to examine how inequalities manifest across the ‘patient journey’, perceptions impacts symptoms on daily life, propensity seek receive a diagnosis treatment. Methods investigated four ‘stages’: (1) (2) caregiver perception impact, (3) (4) medication, in two data sets: UK Millennium Cohort Study (MCS, analytic n ~ 9,000), relevant (parent‐reported) information all stages (until 14 years); population‐wide ‘administrative cohort’, which includes (child health checks) prescriptions (dispensing records), born Scotland, 2010–2012 (analytic 100,000), until ~6 years. described according maternal occupational status, percentages relative indices inequality (RII). Results The prevalence medication receipt was considerably higher least compared most advantaged children administrative cohort (RIIs 5.9 [5.5–6.4] 8.1 [4.2–15.6]) MCS (3.08 [2.68–3.55], 3.75 [2.21–6.36]). analyses highlighted complexities between these stages, however, those backgrounds, were likely perceive life (15.7% vs. average 19.5%) progress (44.1% 72.5%). Conclusions Despite large parents less report their have received postdiagnosis, highlighting patient journeys differed socioeconomic circumstances.