Adult ADHD and comorbid disorders: clinical implications of a dimensional approach

Summary & key facts

This review says adult ADHD affects about 2.5% of adults and often occurs with other mental health problems. Adults with ADHD commonly have trouble with attention, memory, planning, self-control, and emotions. The condition is often missed or undertreated, is linked with big personal and social problems, and the evidence on best care for complex cases is still evolving.

Key facts:

• Estimated general adult prevalence of ADHD is 2.5% (95% CI 2.1–3.1).
• Childhood ADHD prevalence is estimated at 4% to 7%, and studies suggest 15% to 65% of children with ADHD continue to have symptoms into adulthood.
• As many as 80% of adults with ADHD have at least one coexisting psychiatric disorder (for example mood, anxiety, substance use, or personality disorders).
• Common problems in adults with ADHD include impaired focused and sustained attention, poor inhibition, memory difficulties, executive function deficits, problems with decision making, and emotional dysregulation.
• In a community sample of 1001 adults, those with ADHD had higher divorce rates (28% vs 15% in controls) and reported lower satisfaction with personal, social, and professional life.
• One study estimated annual individual income loss for adults with ADHD in the United States at $8,900 to $15,400.
• A study of Japanese adults with ADHD found they visited physicians 10 times more often than controls, and had emergency room visits and hospitalizations about three times greater than controls.
• Adults with ADHD in Denmark were found to have a lower life expectancy and more than double the risk of death compared with adults without ADHD; this excess was largely linked to accidental death and risk-taking behaviors, according to the
• Adults with ADHD are less likely to be employed full time (34% vs 59% in one study), a difference described as 42% less likely to be employed full time compared with adults without ADHD.
• Estimated societal costs in the United States associated with adult ADHD have ranged from about $67–$116 billion (earlier estimate) to $143–$266 billion annually (more recent estimate), mostly due to reduced productivity and income losses.

Topics

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Functional Brain Connectivity Studies Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies

Categories

Health Sciences Medicine Psychiatry and Mental health

Tags

Anxiety Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder Clinical psychology Comorbidity Environmental health Medicine Mood Mood disorders Personality Personality disorders Population Psychiatry Psychology Social psychology