For what reasons do children and young people with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder seek healthcare in the two years prior to their diagnosis?

Problem

People with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) account for 3-5% of children and young people, both in the UK and globally. In the UK, there are delays in the recognition of ADHD and recognition varies dependent on socioeconomic deprivation and geographic region. CYP from more deprived neighbourhoods are more likely to have recognised ADHD. CYP from the South East of England are most likely to have recognised ADHD. An understanding of reasons why CYP seek healthcare before their diagnosis is lacking. Such an understanding may help to inform interventions to expedite the recognition of ADHD.

Approach

The Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) is a primary care database representing 8% of the UK population. Around half of the practices in England have linked Hospital Episodes Statistics (HES) data. The CPRD-HES linked practices were used to select CYP with ADHD. Up to five controls CYP without ADHD were randomly selected, matched on age, sex and GP surgery. Medical records were extracted in the two years prior to the date of diagnosis for CYP with ADHD (or index date for those without ADHD). Reasons for seeking healthcare were analysed separately for CYP with vs. without ADHD.

Findings

8,135 CYP aged 4 to 17 years and had a record of ADHD. 40,230 CYP were aged 4 to 17 years without a record of ADHD. Of the CYP with ADHD in their GP medical records, 1,283 also had a record of ADHD in their hospital medical records. Reasons for seeking healthcare will be presented at the conference.

Consequences

An understanding of the reasons why CYP seek healthcare in the two years prior to diagnosis with ADHD may assist general practitioners, paediatrics, educationalists and CYP's parents (carers) to identify ADHD earlier than is currently possible.