Both ADHD diagnoses and prescriptions for ADHD medication have seen a sharp increase over the past two decades, except in children under five, a study has found.
Researchers from University College London (UCL) reviewed data from seven million individuals of all ages between 2000 and 2018.
Of these individuals, 35,877 had an ADHD diagnosis and 18,518 received prescriptions for ADHD medication from their GP.
The researchers found that ADHD was more commonly diagnosed in children than adults, and was more common in boys and men than girls and women.
In absolute terms, the highest increase was seen in children. Among boys aged 10-16, there was a 2.1 per cent rise in the number of ADHD diagnoses and a 1.8 per cent rise in the number of ADHD prescriptions between 2000 and 2018.
But the relative increase was largest among adults. During the same time period, there was a twenty-fold increase in ADHD diagnoses and nearly fifty-fold jump in ADHD prescriptions in men between the ages of 18-29 (from 0.01 per cent to 0.56 per cent).
There was no significant jump in children under five.
Symptoms of ADHD include impulsiveness, disorganisation, poor time management skills, difficulty focusing and restlessness. ADHD symptoms start in childhood, but are increasingly recognised to persist in adults.
Lead author, Dr Doug McKechnie, of the UCL Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, said: “ADHD diagnoses and prescriptions for ADHD medication by a GP have become more common over time.
“Whilst ADHD is most likely to be diagnosed in childhood, an increasing number of people are diagnosed for the first time in adulthood. We do not know exactly why this is happening, but it may be that ADHD has become better recognised and diagnosed.
“Over the last few years, there have been many reports of long waiting lists for ADHD assessments on the NHS, especially in adults. It’s likely that more and more people will be diagnosed with, and treated for, ADHD, so specialist services need to be made available to handle this.”
Dr McKechnie added: “Many people are accessing private care for ADHD. This may create healthcare inequalities given that ADHD is more common in deprived areas.
“People living in deprived areas may not be able to afford private healthcare, and may suffer with undiagnosed and untreated symptoms of ADHD for longer.
“If people in deprived areas are struggling to get diagnosed with ADHD, our results may actually under-estimate how many people there have it, as we only counted diagnosed ADHD.”
Medication for ADHD is being more frequently prescribed than before, researchers said.
In the NHS, such prescriptions start with a referral from a specialist before being handed over to GPs.
The researchers are calling for GPs to have better support in prescribing and monitoring these medications.
Dr McKechnie said: “There are already many demands on GPs’ time. We need to ensure we have the right frameworks in place to support them as rates and awareness of ADHD increase - allowing patients to receive prompt, safe and effective care.”
Dr Peter Carpenter, Chair of the Royal College of Psychiatrists’ Neurodevelopmental Special Interest Group, said: “People with ADHD can struggle with significant disruption to their personal and professional lives if the condition is left untreated.
“It’s good to see public awareness of the disorder has grown and that more people are coming forward for a diagnostic assessment and treatment.
“Once someone has a diagnosis, they usually benefit from adjustments at work or in other areas of their daily lives.
“Medication can help treat symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity, particularly in those who have a moderate to severe expression of ADHD. Talking therapies and peer support groups can also be beneficial.”
