title: Prevalence, incidence, and stimulant use of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in Taiwan, 1996-2005: a national population-based study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We used National Health Insurance (NHI) database to examine the prevalence, incidence, and stimulant use of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnosis in Taiwan.
  
  
  METHODS
  The National Health Research Institute provided a database of 10,00,000 random subjects for study. A population-based random sample of 372,642 patients aged younger than 18 was obtained as a dynamic cohort. Those study subjects who had at least one service claim from 1996 to 2005, with a principal diagnosis of ADHD, were identified.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The cumulative prevalence of ADHD diagnosis increased from 0.06 to 1.64 % from 1996 to 2005. The annual incidence of ADHD diagnosis increased from 0.02 to 0.34 % from 1997 to 2005. The highest incidence rates of ADHD diagnosis for both males and females were in the 6- to 11-year age group. Higher incidence was detected in males (HR 3.76, 95 % CI 3.48-4.07), those who lived in northern region (HR 1.35, 95 % CI 1.07-1.71) and urban area (HR 1.53, 95 % CI 1.40-1.66). The percentage of stimulant use in children with ADHD diagnosis increased from 39.6 to 54.0 % from 1997 to 2005.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest increases in the prevalence and incidence rates of ADHD diagnosis in Taiwan, which was in line with those studies of Western countries. However, the prevalence of ADHD diagnosis in the NHI program was still much lower than in the community studies. The percentage of stimulant use in children with ADHD diagnosis also has an increasing trend, which warrants further study.
authors.affiliation: Taoyuan Mental Hospital, Department of Health, No. 71, Longshow Street, Taoyuan City, 33058, Taoyuan County, Taiwan. icchien@typc.doh.gov.tw
authors.forename: I-Chia
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Chien
authors.forename: Ching-Heng
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Yiing-Jenq
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.forename: Pesus
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chou
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016208:Databases, Factual / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants