Unchanged since 2007; boys still twice as likely to have the condition as girls
FRIDAY, May 15, 2015 (HealthDay News) — One in 10 children and teens have been diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to a May data brief published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics. That number has remained relatively steady since 2007, according to government estimates.
Researchers combined results from the 2011, 2012, and 2013 National Health Interview Surveys to find out how many children from ages 4 to 17 had been diagnosed with ADHD within different demographic groups.
Among all age groups combined, 9.5 percent of children and teens had ever been diagnosed with ADHD. Only 3 percent of 4- and 5-year-olds had been diagnosed with ADHD, the researchers found, but that number jumped to 9.5 percent for children ages 6 to 11. Among teens ages 12 to 17, the researchers found 12 percent had ever been diagnosed with ADHD.
White children in the 6 to 11 and 12 to 17 age groups were the most likely to have an ADHD diagnosis. Hispanic children and teens were the least likely to have been diagnosed with ADHD, according to the report. Children with public insurance were also more likely to have an ADHD diagnosis than children with private insurance. In addition, children from lower-income households were more likely to have a diagnosis, compared to those in wealthier households. The number of children diagnosed was lowest among those without health insurance.
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