Mar 11, 2025 11:56 PM
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1076177
INTRO: Prescriptions for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in England have risen 18% year on year since the pandemic. This is higher than previously reported, and masks wide regional variations in prescribing rates, finds research published in the open access journal BMJ Mental Health.
The trends likely reflect growing public and professional awareness of the condition, driven in part by social media, as well as the potential impact of COVID-19, suggest the researchers. But the regional variations point to inequalities in access to care, they add.
ADHD is common in children, with a global prevalence of around 7%, note the researchers, while its prevalence in symptomatic adults is also on the rise, with a reported rate of nearly 7%.
Five drugs are licensed for its treatment in the UK: three stimulants (methylphenidate, dexamfetamine, lisdexamfetamine); and two non-stimulants (atomoxetine, guanfacine). And in the absence or lack of availability of alternative treatment options, such as psychological or behavioural therapy, these drugs have a key role in ADHD management, say the researchers.
Several studies have reported an increase in ADHD prescriptions in England since the COVID-19 pandemic, but most of these studies were based on the old NHS structure—before the introduction of 42 integrated care systems—and/or focused on specific groups or types of drug.
And little is currently known about the potential influence of other factors, such as social deprivation, inequalities, and mental health needs, they add.
To explore this further, they mined the English Prescribing Dataset from April 2019 to March 2024, looking at prescription trends for the 5 currently licensed ADHD drugs at national, regional, and integrated care board (ICB) levels.
The findings showed that prescriptions increased significantly from around 25 items per 1000 people in 2019-20, before the advent of the pandemic to 41.55 items in 2023-24, with an average annual increase of 18% nationally—higher than previously reported... (MORE - details, no ads)
INTRO: Prescriptions for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in England have risen 18% year on year since the pandemic. This is higher than previously reported, and masks wide regional variations in prescribing rates, finds research published in the open access journal BMJ Mental Health.
The trends likely reflect growing public and professional awareness of the condition, driven in part by social media, as well as the potential impact of COVID-19, suggest the researchers. But the regional variations point to inequalities in access to care, they add.
ADHD is common in children, with a global prevalence of around 7%, note the researchers, while its prevalence in symptomatic adults is also on the rise, with a reported rate of nearly 7%.
Five drugs are licensed for its treatment in the UK: three stimulants (methylphenidate, dexamfetamine, lisdexamfetamine); and two non-stimulants (atomoxetine, guanfacine). And in the absence or lack of availability of alternative treatment options, such as psychological or behavioural therapy, these drugs have a key role in ADHD management, say the researchers.
Several studies have reported an increase in ADHD prescriptions in England since the COVID-19 pandemic, but most of these studies were based on the old NHS structure—before the introduction of 42 integrated care systems—and/or focused on specific groups or types of drug.
And little is currently known about the potential influence of other factors, such as social deprivation, inequalities, and mental health needs, they add.
To explore this further, they mined the English Prescribing Dataset from April 2019 to March 2024, looking at prescription trends for the 5 currently licensed ADHD drugs at national, regional, and integrated care board (ICB) levels.
The findings showed that prescriptions increased significantly from around 25 items per 1000 people in 2019-20, before the advent of the pandemic to 41.55 items in 2023-24, with an average annual increase of 18% nationally—higher than previously reported... (MORE - details, no ads)