title: Characteristics of Norwegian children suffering from ADHD symptoms: ADHD and primary health care.
abstract: This study describes the characteristics of children suffering from attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms and evaluates the ability of primary health care to assess ADHD. A population of 494 children was referred during one year to the outpatient clinic Child and Adolescent Mental Health in Norway. Forty percent of those referred had ADHD symptoms. A clinical assessment regarding ADHD as well as general health was employed and socio-economic status was recorded. Half of the ADHD-referred children met criteria for ADHD, and among the non-ADHD children one fifth did not receive any diagnosis. Mean referral age was 10.5years; 82% were boys. The ADHD families were less educated and in more need of support from Child Welfare (CW) in the referral period (OR: 3.9; 95% CI 0.1 to 5.1). More ADHD children were not living with their families compared to the non-ADHD children. The sensitivity was 51% (96/187) regarding primary health care`s ability to recognize ADHD. Further screening programs for evaluation of ADHD are needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Helse Fonna Hospital, Haugesund, Norway. nezlad@gmail.com
authors.forename: Nezla S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Duric
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Elgen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors