The impacts associated with having ADHD: an umbrella review
Blandine French, Gamze Nalbant, Hannah Wright, Kapil S. Sayal, David Daley, Madeleine Jane Groom et al. · 2024 · 136 citationsRead the paper
Introduction: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) affects up to 5% of the population and is characterised by symptoms of impulsivity, hyperactivity and inattention. These symptoms are significantly impairing and carry additional risks for children and adults with ADHD, including negative mental health (e.g. depression), physical health (e.g. obesity) and societal outcomes (e.g. imprisonment, divorce). Very few studies have attempted to synthesise these risks in one publication due to the breadth of evidence published on the adverse outcomes of ADHD. Methods: An umbrella review was performed to identify reviews (systematic, meta-analysis and narrative) that investigate the risks arising from having ADHD. We conducted a narrative synthesis of the findings and conducted a quality review of the included publications. Results: Upon searching five databases, 16,675 records were identified. Of these, 125 reviews met the criteria for inclusion. A narrative synthesis of these findings highlighted three key domains of risks associated with ADHD: mental health, physical health, social and lifestyle. Most reviews were of good and moderate quality. Discussion: This review highlights the many risks associated with having ADHD, beyond its three key symptom domains and the impact of the condition on daily functioning. Registration: International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO CRD42023404073).
What the full text shows
Shown in the lab- Increased risk of completed suicide, suicidal ideations, and suicide attempts. — Completed suicide OR 6.69; Ideations OR 3.53; Attempts OR 2.37 (Compared to controls)
- Higher likelihood of problem gambling. — 2.85 times more likely than individuals without ADHD (General population)
- Increased risk of substance and alcohol use disorders in children. — Nicotine OR 2.36; Drug use OR 3.48; Alcohol OR 1.35 (Children with ADHD vs controls)
- Higher risk of bipolar disorder occurrence. — Risk ratio 8.97 (ADHD vs healthy controls)
- Increased risk of personality disorders for those with childhood ADHD. — Pooled relative effect 4.74 (Childhood ADHD population)
- Higher prevalence of ADHD among relatives of bipolar probands. — Relative risk 2.6 (Family genetic studies)
- Setup
- 125 reviews were included, incorporating over 1,000 primary studies published between 1991 and 2023.
- How
- An umbrella review was conducted by searching five databases for systematic, meta-analysis, and narrative reviews, followed by a narrative synthesis and quality appraisal using JBI and SANRA tools.
- Limitations
- High heterogeneity in methodologies and statistical techniques across reviews prevented meta-analysis. · Findings are constrained by the quality of included reviews (10% poor, 48% moderate). · Limited to English language publications. · Some sub-themes (self-esteem, gender dysphoria) were based on only one review.
Summarized by Gemma 4 from the open-access full text · 10 Oct 2026. Read it