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Prevalence of ADHD in Adults: An Umbrella Review of International Studies

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 August 2024

G. Ayano
Affiliation:
1Population Health, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
L. Tsegay
Affiliation:
2Aksum University, Aksum
Y. Gizachew
Affiliation:
3Bethel Medical College, Addis Ababa
M. Necho
Affiliation:
4Wollo University, Amhara, Ethiopia
K. Yohannes
Affiliation:
5SWEDESD, Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Uppsala University, Upsala, Sweden
S. Demelash
Affiliation:
6Ethiopian Public Health Insitute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
T. Anbesaw
Affiliation:
4Wollo University, Amhara, Ethiopia
R. Alati*
Affiliation:
1Population Health, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
*
*Corresponding author.

Abstract

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Introduction

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder commonly diagnosed in school-age children. However, it can affect individuals of all age groups. This study aimed to provide a comprehensive analysis of the prevalence of ADHD in adults by conducting an umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses.

Objectives

To provide a comprehensive synthesis of published evidence on the prevalence of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in adults through an umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses, with the aim of highlighting the significance of addressing and managing ADHD in the adult population.

Methods

To conduct this study, we adhered to the guidelines outlined in the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA). We systematically searched databases such as PsychINFO, Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus to identify relevant studies. Our review protocol was registered with PROSPERO (registration number: CRD42023389704). The quality of the studies included in our analysis was assessed using the A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR). For the purpose of conducting a meta-analysis, we employed a random-effects model.

Results

Our umbrella review examined findings from five systematic reviews that encompassed data from 57 unique international primary studies undertaken between 2009 and 2021. These studies involved a total of 21,142,129 adult participants. The meta-analysis, employing an inverse variance-weighted random effect model, yielded a pooled prevalence estimate for ADHD in adults of 3.10% (95% confidence interval: 2.60%–3.60%). Regarding ADHD subtypes, our analysis revealed that ADHD-I (inattentive type) remained the most prevalent among adults, followed by ADHD-HI (hyperactive type) and ADHD-C (combined type).

Conclusions

Our results underscore the relatively high prevalence of ADHD among adults, with ADHD-I emerging as the most common subtype. These findings emphasize the need for proactive measures to prevent, mitigate, identify, and effectively manage ADHD in the adult population.

Disclosure of Interest

None Declared

Type
Abstract
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2024. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of European Psychiatric Association
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