How common is attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder? Towards resolution of the controversy: results from a population-based study.
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD) is a common behavioral disorder among children, yet there is uncertainty about many aspects of AD/HD, including its precise frequency of occurrence, presence of comorbid conditions, long-term outcomes and the impact of treatment on long-term outcome. The objectives of the studies described in this paper were to address these important questions about AD/HD. The study subjects were from a population-based birth cohort, and included all children born in Rochester, Minnesota, from 1976 to 1982, who remained in the community after the age of 5 y (n = 5718). Complete medical and school records were available for all members of the birth cohort, including detailed information about AD/HD symptoms, psychometric test and questionnaire results, medical and non-medical treatments, and long-term academic and psychosocial outcomes. This information was used to identify 375 subjects from the birth cohort with AD/HD, based on well-defined research criteria. The estimated cumulative incidence of AD/HD at the age of 19y was 7.5% (95% confidence interval 6.5-8.4). Data from these 375 subjects with AD/HD will be used in ongoing studies of this disorder.
Barbaresi
W
W
Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905-0001, USA. Barbaresi.william@mayo.edu
Katusic
S
S
Colligan
R
R
Weaver
A
A
Pankratz
V
V
Mrazek
D
D
Jacobsen
S
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008910:Minnesota / Q000453:epidemiology; D017678:Sex Distribution; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants