According to new research medication for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has increased by 18% year on year since the pandemic.
Academics from the University of Huddersfield and Aston University conducted the research, which was published in the journal BMJ Mental Health, and found that the number of ADHD prescriptions increased from around 25 per 1,000 people in 2019/2020, to 41.55 prescriptions in 2023/24.
To reach their findings, experts examined English prescribing data for the five currently licensed ADHD drugs at national, regional and NHS integrated care board levels.
As well as highlighting that prescriptions have significantly increased, the researchers cited increased public awareness of the disorder as one of the reasons why. Discussions of ADHD on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok have encouraged ‘more people to seek assessment, diagnosis and treatment’, the research said.
ADHD is a neurodevelopment disorder with symptoms such as difficulty focussing, disorganisation and impulsiveness. However, not everybody with the condition experiences all of these symptoms. For example, the NHS have outlined ADHD is more often diagnosed in boys than girls, as girls are more likely to have symptoms of inattentiveness and don’t typically tend to engage in disruptive behaviour.
On the subject of diagnosis, the research also points to regional differences across England in regards to prescription rates. London saw the highest annual rise of 28%, with Southeast England following closely behind at 19.5%. In contrast, the Northeast and Yorkshire saw the lowest increase at 13%.
Against this backdrop, the team also discovered a strong link between ethnicity and deprivation and ADHD prescription rates. Academics claimed Southeast England and Northwest England, which have larger white populations, show higher prescription counts overall compared to more ethnically diverse regions like the Midlands and London.
‘The findings of this study have significant implications for health policy and clinical practice,’ the researchers said. ‘The significant rise in ADHD prescriptions across England highlights the urgent need for policies that address both regional and socioeconomic disparities in ADHD care access.’
‘The finding that more people are receiving ADHD treatment is encouraging, particularly given reports of long waiting times between ADHD referral and assessment, as well as variations across different regions in England,’ they continued.
Following the publication of their study, the experts have called for stricter measures to be implemented on social media platforms to prevent the spread of misinformation around ADHD.
The research can be accessed in full here.
Photo by Lance Reis via UnSplash
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