Abstract
Background
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)/Hyperkinetic Disorder (HD) is linked to increased risks of morbidity, comorbidity and mortality, with higher prevalence in clinical populations. The differential prevalence of ADHD/HD across adult and pediatric clinical populations, influenced by factors such as time trends, sex, age, geographic regions, and comorbidities, has not been systematically assessed.
Methods
MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase and PsycINFO databases were searched from inception to 1st August 2023 for eligible full-text papers published in English, and reviewing reference lists of identified studies and review papers. Studies reporting ADHD/HD prevalence in adult and pediatric clinical populations were included. Meta-regression evaluated the effects of geographic region, year of publication and sample size.
Results
From 30,740 citations, we reviewed 521 full-text articles, yielding 311 studies for inclusion (including 653,558 pediatric and 43,311 adult participants). Overall, worldwide pooled prevalence of ADHD/HD in clinical settings for pediatrics was 32.4% (95% CI 31–34%), and in adults 21.4% (95% CI 20–23%). Prevalence was higher in outpatient settings than inpatient settings. Prevalence based on rating scales was higher than studies using diagnostic interviews or clinical record review. Prevalence varied significantly across subspecialist settings for children and adults. No significant time trend was detected between 1981–2023. Pediatric prevalence appears influenced by geographic region but not year of publication or sample size. For adults, larger sample sizes were associated with lower prevalence estimates.
Conclusions
ADHD/HD prevalence in clinical populations is 8-9-fold higher than community estimates. With these patients at risk for many adverse outcomes, our findings underscore the critical importance of resource allocation for screening, diagnosing and treatment.