Stimulant and psychosocial treatment of ADHD in Latino/Hispanic children.
OBJECTIVE
To examine to what extent Latino/Hispanic children with and without attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are receiving treatment and to identify variables that predict treatment with stimulant medication.


METHODS
Primary caretakers of a probability household sample (N = 1,897) of Puerto Rican children aged 4-17 years were administered structured interviews (response rate: 90.1%) from 1999-2000 to ascertain psychiatric disorders and types of services received.


RESULTS
Only 7.0% of children with ADHD received stimulant medication during the last year; moreover, only 3.6% had actually continued this treatment at the time of the interview. One fourth or less of those with ADHD received school-based services or psychosocial treatment. The male-female ratio in stimulant medication use was 10 to 1. In addition, only 0.2% of those with no psychiatric diagnosis received this treatment. ADHD and ADHD-not otherwise specified, impairment, and being male significantly predicted stimulant treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
Children with ADHD in this Latino/Hispanic population are not receiving the most efficacious treatments based on scientific findings and relevant clinical consensus. This population is undertreated rather than overtreated.
Bauermeister
José J
JJ
Behavioral Sciences Research Institute, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan 00936-5067, USA. jbauer@isla.net
Canino
Glorisa
G
Bravo
Milagros
M
Ramírez
Rafael
R
Jensen
Peter S
PS
Chavez
Ligia
L
Martínez-Taboas
Alfonso
A
Ribera
Julio
J
Alegría
Margarita
M
García
Pedro
P
D000293:Adolescent; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012494:Sampling Studies
D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants