Exploring the Escalating Trends and Variances in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Prevalence: A Critical Review

The objective of this review is to present the prevalence of ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) from both a global perspective and across various subgroups of people, using evidence from the current literature. This review will also explore variation in ADHD prevalence based on various factors such as race and gender. The review aims to provide insights into potential mechanisms that explain the synthesised data. We conducted a comprehensive electronic literature search on PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar using search terms such as "ADHD prevalence" and "Epidemiology of ADHD." Papers were initially screened by abstract for relevance before undergoing a full-text assessment to ensure satisfaction of the inclusion criteria. Papers were rated based on their methodological quality using a pre-determined criterion. The prevalence of ADHD diagnoses has been increasing significantly over the last three decades. Subgroup analysis showed that the prevalence of diagnosed ADHD was significantly lower in girls, ethnic minorities, and underprivileged children. A similar increase in ADHD symptoms does not accompany the increase in ADHD diagnoses. Instead, increased awareness among underrepresented groups is a key driving factor. When study methods were controlled for, the year of publication had no significant effect on the reported prevalence. There is no significant geographic variation in ADHD prevalence, as variation among studies can be largely attributed to methodological inconsistencies. The study shows the importance of increasing consistency in ADHD diagnostic methods to reduce potential over- and underdiagnosis of ADHD. The study also highlights the need for interventions to reduce barriers faced by underrepresented groups in receiving ADHD diagnoses.