This Article  • Full text  • PDF  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citation map  • Citing articles on HighWire  • Citing articles on Web of Science (77)  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Related article  • Similar articles in this journal  Topic Collections  • Psychiatry  • Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder  • Diagnosis  • Alert me on articles by topic  Social Bookmarking   What's this?

Incidence in a Population-Based Birth Cohort in Rochester, Minn

William J. Barbaresi, MD; Slavica K. Katusic, MD; Robert C. Colligan, PhD; V. Shane Pankratz, PhD; Amy L. Weaver, MS; Kevin J. Weber, PhD; David A. Mrazek, MD; Steven J. Jacobsen, MD, PhD

Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2002;156:217-224.

Context  The frequency of occurrence of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD) is in dispute. This uncertainty has contributed to the concern that too many children in the United States are being treated with stimulant medication.

Objectives  To determine the cumulative incidence of AD/HD in a population-based birth cohort and to estimate the prevalence of pharmacologic treatment for children who fulfill research criteria for AD/HD.

Design  Population-based birth cohort study.

Setting and Subjects  All children born between 1976 and 1982 in Rochester, Minn, who remained in the community after age 5 years (N = 5718).

Main Outcome Measures  Medical and school records were reviewed for clinical diagnoses of AD/HD and supporting documentation (symptoms consistent with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition criteria and positive results for AD/HD-related questionnaires). Research-identified cases were defined as: (1) "definite" AD/HD (clinical diagnosis and at least one type of supporting documentation); (2) "probable" AD/HD (clinical diagnosis but no supporting documentation or no clinical diagnosis but both types of supporting documentation); (3) "questionable" AD/HD (no clinical diagnosis, but at least one type of supporting documentation); and (4) "not AD/HD" (all other subjects). Information about pharmacologic treatment for AD/HD was abstracted for all subjects.

Results  The highest estimate of the cumulative incidence at age 19 years (with 95% confidence interval) of AD/HD (definite plus probable plus questionable AD/HD) was 16.0% (14.7-17.3). The lowest estimate (definite AD/HD only) was 7.4% (6.5-8.4). Prevalence of treatment with stimulant medication was 86.5% for definite AD/HD, 40.0% for probable AD/HD, 6.6% for questionable AD/HD, and 0.2% for not AD/HD.

Conclusions  These results provide insight into the apparent discrepancies in estimates of the occurrence of AD/HD, with less stringent criteria resulting in higher cumulative incidence. Children who met the most stringent criteria for AD/HD were most likely to receive pharmacologic treatment.

From the Departments of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine (Dr Barbaresi), Health Sciences Research (Drs Katusic, Jacobsen, and Pankratz, and Ms Weaver), and Psychiatry and Psychology (Drs Colligan and Mrazek), Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn; and Olmsted Medical Center, Rochester (Dr Weber).

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter     What's this?

RELATED ARTICLE

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Is It Common? Is It Overtreated?
Esther H. Wender
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2002;156(3):209-210.
EXTRACT | FULL TEXT  

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

ADHD in the Arab World: A Review of Epidemiologic Studies
Farah et al.
J Atten Disord 2009;13:211-222.
ABSTRACT  

ADHD and Health Services Utilization in the National Health Interview Survey
Cuffe et al.
J Atten Disord 2009;12:330-340.
ABSTRACT  

Cardiovascular Monitoring and Stimulant Drugs for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Perrin et al.
Pediatrics 2008;122:451-453.
FULL TEXT  

Practice Parameter for the Assessment and Treatment of Children and Adolescents With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Focus 2008;6:401-426.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Overweight in Children and Adolescents in Relation to Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Results From a National Sample
Waring and Lapane
Pediatrics 2008;122:e1-e6.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Cardiovascular Monitoring of Children and Adolescents With Heart Disease Receiving Medications for Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association Council on Cardiovascular Disease in the Young Congenital Cardiac Defects Committee and the Council on Cardiovascular Nursing
Vetter et al.
Circulation 2008;117:2407-2423.
FULL TEXT  

Evaluating the Evidence For and Against the Overdiagnosis of ADHD
Sciutto and Eisenberg
J Atten Disord 2007;11:106-113.
ABSTRACT  

National Estimates and Factors Associated With Medication Treatment for Childhood Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Visser et al.
Pediatrics 2007;119:S99-S106.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

A preliminary investigation of ADHD symptoms in persons with celiac disease.
Niederhofer and Pittschieler
J Atten Disord 2006;10:200-204.
ABSTRACT  

ADHD in college students.
Weyandt and DuPaul
J Atten Disord 2006;10:9-19.
ABSTRACT  

Science, ethics, and the psychosocial treatment of ADHD.
Diller and Goldstein
J Atten Disord 2006;9:571-574.
 

Recent Trends in Stimulant Medication Use Among U.S. Children
Zuvekas et al.
Am. J. Psychiatry 2006;163:579-585.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Prevalence and Correlates of ADHD Symptoms in the National Health Interview Survey
Cuffe et al.
J Atten Disord 2005;9:392-401.
ABSTRACT  

Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder
Rappley
NEJM 2005;352:165-173.
FULL TEXT  

Early Life Risk Factors for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Population-Based Cohort Study
Sauver et al.
Mayo Clin Proc. 2004;79:1124-1131.
ABSTRACT  

A Single-Dose, Two-Way Crossover, Bioequivalence Study of Dexmethylphenidate HCl with and without Food in Healthy Subjects
Teo et al.
J Clin Pharmacol 2004;44:173-178.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

A 90-Day Oral Gavage Toxicity Study of d-Methylphenidate and d, I-Methylphenidate in Beagle Dogs
Teo et al.
International Journal of Toxicology 2003;22:215-226.
ABSTRACT  

Are psychostimulant drugs being used appropriately to treat child and adolescent disorders?
REY and SAWYER
Br. J. Psychiatry 2003;182:284-286.
FULL TEXT  

Bullying, Self-Control, and Adhd
Unnever and Cornell
J Interpers Violence 2003;18:129-147.
ABSTRACT  

Use of Psychotropic Medications in Young, Preschool Children: Primum Non Nocere
Barbaresi
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2003;157:121-123.
FULL TEXT  

Data Refute Claims of ADHD Overmedication, Congress Told
Rosack
Psychiatr. News 2002;37:20-21.
FULL TEXT  

More About Prevalence of ADHD in Children
JWatch Psychiatry 2002;2002:11-11.
FULL TEXT  

More About Prevalence of ADHD in Children
JWatch General 2002;2002:6-6.
FULL TEXT  

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Is It Common? Is It Overtreated?
Wender
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2002;156:209-210.
FULL TEXT