Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Diagnosis, Treatment, and Telehealth Use in Adults — National Center for Health Statistics Rapid Surveys System, United States, October–November 2023
Brooke S. Staley, Lara R. Robinson, Angelika Hartl Claussen, Samuel M. Katz, Melissa L. Danielson, April D. Summers et al. · 2024 · 87 citationsRead the paper
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that develops during childhood and can last into adulthood. Data from the National Center for Health Statistics Rapid Surveys System collected during October-November 2023 were used to estimate the prevalence of ADHD diagnosis and treatment among U.S. adults. In 2023, an estimated 15.5 million U.S. adults (6.0%) had a current ADHD diagnosis based on self-report; approximately one half received the diagnosis at age ≥18 years. Approximately one third of adults with ADHD took a stimulant medication to treat their ADHD in the previous year, 71.5% of whom had difficulty getting their ADHD prescription filled because it was unavailable. Approximately one half of adults with ADHD have ever used telehealth for ADHD-related services. Telehealth might have benefits for persons with ADHD, including helping them access behavioral treatment or medication prescriptions for ADHD. This report provides national estimates of the prevalence and treatment of ADHD among U.S. adults to help guide clinical care and regulatory decision-making for ADHD among U.S. adults.
What the full text shows
Tested in real conditions- Prevalence of current ADHD diagnosis among U.S. adults — 6.0% (approx. 15.5 million) (U.S. adults, 2023 self-report)
- Adults receiving ADHD diagnosis at age 18 or older — 55.9% (Adults with current ADHD)
- Adults experiencing difficulty filling stimulant prescriptions due to unavailability — 71.5% (Adults taking stimulant medication in the previous 12 months)
- Adults who have ever used telehealth for ADHD-related services — 46.0% (Adults with current ADHD)
- Adults not receiving any ADHD treatment — 36.5% (Adults with current ADHD)
- Adults taking prescription stimulant medication in the previous year — 33.4% (Adults with current ADHD)
- Setup
- 7,046 completed interviews from U.S. adults aged 18+ conducted October–November 2023.
- How
- Cross-sectional survey using two commercial online panels (AmeriSpeak and KnowledgePanel) with weighted and calibrated data. Analysis performed using SAS-callable SUDAAN with Taylor linearization for variances.
- Limitations
- Self-reported diagnoses not validated against medical records · Low response rates of commercial online panels potentially introducing nonresponse bias · Cross-sectional design prevents examination of trends over time · Sociodemographic data collected prior to survey administration
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