Key Takeaways
- In the United States, 8% of adults report having a previous or current ADHD diagnosis, while 6% currently have one.
- Medication shortages affect 70% of adults receiving stimulant treatment for ADHD.
- Despite gender differences in diagnosis age, more than half of persons with ADHD received their diagnosis in adulthood.
- During the COVID-19 epidemic, 46% of adults with ADHD were able to access care thanks to telehealth.
- The goal of the upcoming APSARD recommendations is to improve patient outcomes by standardizing adult ADHD care in the US.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released new data today, highlighting concerns about attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adults. The Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) of October 10, 2024, offers critical information regarding the burden of adult ADHD, including prevalence, treatment barriers, and telehealth.
Investigators discovered that 6% of US adults had a current diagnosis of ADHD, while 8% of US adults reported a past or present diagnosis, based on the National Center for Health Statistics Rapid Survey System (RSS) data collected from October through November 2023.
Approximately 7 out of 10 individuals who are undergoing stimulant pharmacotherapy reported experiencing difficulty obtaining their ADHD medication as a result of a shortage. The RSS also shows that over 50% of individuals with ADHD received their diagnosis in adulthood, with a significant difference between males and females. Specifically, diagnoses occurred for 45% of men and 25% of women before the age of 11, and for 40% of men and 61% of women in adulthood.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth enabled a total of 46% of adults with a current ADHD diagnosis to receive care. This is advantageous.
Gregory Mattingly, MD, and Ann Childress, MD, have stated that these data underscore the necessity of the forthcoming Adult ADHD Guidelines from the American Professional Society of ADHD and Related Disorders (APSARD). two, three A standardized set of guidelines would enhance patient outcomes by standardizing care among all mental health clinicians who address adult patients with ADHD.
“These guidelines will serve as the initial US guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of adults with ADHD, offering a valuable treatment framework for clinicians and families.” Although numerous inquiries remain unresolved, these discoveries advance us toward a more profound comprehension of the requirements of individuals with ADHD, as stated by Mattingly and Childress. 2
“In an exclusive video interview with Psychiatric Times, Mattingly stated, “The CDC challenges the concepts we have been teaching for years.”
Psychiatric Times interviewed David W. Goodman, MD, an adult psychiatrist, assistant professor in the psychiatry and behavioral sciences department of the Johns Hopkins Hospital School of Medicine, and clinical associate professor at the State University of New York, back in January 2024. At the APSARD 2024 Conference, Goodman hosted a town hall debate on the adult ADHD standards.
“Unlike children and adolescents, adults with ADHD do not have the same guidelines. Countries such as the UK, South Africa, Australia, Europe, and Canada have now developed international criteria.
Because it is a laborious and complex process that calls for a variety of specialists, we in the United States have been hesitant to handle this,” Goodman said. “Our goal is to standardize the treatment of adults with ADHD in the United States.
Our goal is for clinicians to become up-to-date on clinical practice guidelines and patient care procedures. The impact extends to patients, their families, and the broader public. It serves as baseline guidance for what to anticipate from your diagnosis and course of treatment.
Late 2024 or early 2025 will see the release of the guidelines.
