Early life risk factors for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a population-based cohort study.
OBJECTIVE
To Identify risk factors for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and to determine whether these factors differ between boys and girls.


METHODS
We conducted a case-control study of all children born between January 1, 1976, and December 31, 1982, in Olmsted County, Minnesota (N=5701), and examined birth certificates for risk factors for ADHD. Using school and medical records, we identified 305 children with ADHD. All children not identified with ADHD served as controls (N=5326). Risk factors that were assessed included demographic characteristics of both children and parents, as well as pregnancy, labor, and delivery characteristics, including the effect of a multiple birth and presence of pregnancy and delivery complications.


RESULTS
Pregnancy and labor characteristics, low birth weight, and presence of a twin birth were not associated with ADHD. Male sex (odds ratio [OR], 3.05; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.34-3.98) was associated with an increased risk for ADHD, whereas high maternal and paternal education levels (high maternal education: OR, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.42-0.78; high paternal education: OR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.49-0.78) were associated with a decreased risk for ADHD. In addition, low maternal and paternal education levels increased the risk for ADHD in boys more than in girls.


CONCLUSIONS
Male sex and low parental education levels are significant risk factors for ADHD. In addition, boys born to parents with low maternal and paternal education levels appear to be at an increased risk for ADHD compared with girls born to parents with low education levels.
St Sauver
Jennifer L
JL
Division of Epidemiology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, 200 First St SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA. stsauver.jennifer@mayo.edu
Barbaresi
William J
WJ
Katusic
Slavica K
SK
Colligan
Robert C
RC
Weaver
Amy L
AL
Jacobsen
Steven J
SJ
D000328:Adult; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D001719:Birth Certificates; D001724:Birth Weight; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008423:Maternal Age; D008910:Minnesota / Q000453:epidemiology; D010331:Paternal Age; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution