Demographics of adhd
Data and Statistics:
- Approximatley 11% of children 4-17 years of age (6.4 million) have been diagnosed with ADHD as of 2011.
- The percentage of children with an ADHD diagnosis continues to increase, from 7.8% in 2003 to 9.5% in 2007 and to 11.0% in 2011.
- Rates of ADHD diagnosis increased an average of 3% per year from 1997 to 2006 and an average of approximately 5% per year from 2003 to 2011.
- Boys (13.2%) were more likely than girls (5.6%) to have ever been diagnosed with ADHD.
- The average age of ADHD diagnosis was 7 years of age, but children reported by their parents as having more severe ADHD were diagnosed earlier.
- Prevalence of ADHD diagnosis varied substantially by state, from a low of 5.6% in Nevada to a high of 18.7% in Kentucky.
- About 4.4% of American adults have ADHD according to a 2006 study reported in the American Journal of Psychiatry
- 49% of adults who are diagnosed with ADHD in childhood continued to have marked symptoms of the condition at age 22
State Based Prevelance Data of ADHD Diagnosis (2011-2012): Children currently diagnosed with ADHD
Gender:
Boys are 3 times more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than girls. Why? No one knows for sure, but here are some theories:
Males are more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD when they are younger, where as females are more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD as they become older.
Boys are 3 times more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than girls. Why? No one knows for sure, but here are some theories:
- Generally speaking, boys are more disruptive than girls so their symptoms are more obvious.
- Boys may be referred by teachers more often than girls.
- Girls tend to be more inattentive than impulsive and hyperactive. This could mean they are more likely under diagnosed.
Males are more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD when they are younger, where as females are more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD as they become older.
Ethnic Background and Family Structure:
The chart to the left shows children ever diagnosed with ADHD based on ethnic background and family structure. Ethnic minorities with ADHD are often under diagnosed. Children are more often diagnosed with ADHD when they come from single-parent or foster households.
Data retrieved from the Center of Disease Control and Prevention, Vital and Health Statistics.
Data retrieved from the Center of Disease Control and Prevention, Vital and Health Statistics.