Prevalence of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) among Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Populations: Meta-Analysis
Henrik Rohner, Nikolas Gaspar, Alexandra Philipsen, Marcel Schulze · 2023 · 90 citationsRead the paper
(1) Background: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is characterized by a persistent pattern of age-inappropriate levels of inattention and/or hyperactivity/impulsivity that results in functional impairment at work, education, or hobbies and affects family life, social contacts, and self-confidence. ADHD is a comorbid condition associated with a prognosis of severe substance use disorder (SUD) and the early onset of such. The aim of this meta-analysis was to obtain the best estimate of the prevalence of ADHD in SUD populations. (2) Methods: A literature research was conducted using PUBMED® and Web of Science®. The following search terms were used: [ADHD], [prevalence], and [substance use disorder]. RStudio® was used for meta-analysis methods. (3) Results: In total, 31 studies were included. We estimate the prevalence of ADHD among SUD patients at 21%.
What the full text shows
Shown in the lab- General prevalence of ADHD among SUD patients — 21% (Adults and adolescents)
- ADHD prevalence among alcoholics — 25% (Alcohol SUD subpopulation)
- ADHD prevalence among cocaine users — 19% (Cocaine SUD subpopulation)
- ADHD prevalence among opioid users — 18% (Opioid SUD subpopulation)
- Setup
- 31 studies with a total participant size of 12,524 (Opioids n=2,357; Cocaine n=2,974; Alcohol n=2,143).
- How
- A meta-analysis of 31 peer-reviewed studies using a random-effects model with logit transformation and inverse variance weighting. Meta-regression was performed using age as a moderator variable.
- Limitations
- High heterogeneity across all models (I2 > 92%) · Small sample sizes for specific substance subpopulations · Exclusion of studies relying solely on self-reported questionnaires for ADHD diagnosis
Summarized by Gemma 4 from the open-access full text · 14 Oct 2026. Read it