Stimulant and psychosocial treatment of ADHD in Latino/Hispanic children

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Published on: June 12, 2020

José J Bauermeister1, Glorisa Canino, Milagros Bravo

  • 1Behavioral Sciences Research Institute, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan 00936-5067, USA. jbauer@isla.net

Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
|June 24, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Latino/Hispanic children with ADHD are significantly undertreated, with very few receiving stimulant medication or other effective therapies. This study highlights a critical gap in pediatric mental health care for this population.

Area of Science:

  • Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
  • Health Services Research
  • Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Background:

  • Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder in children.
  • Effective treatments for ADHD exist, but access and utilization vary across populations.
  • Understanding treatment patterns in diverse ethnic groups is crucial for health equity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the treatment rates for Latino/Hispanic children with and without ADHD.
  • To identify predictors of stimulant medication use in children diagnosed with ADHD.
  • To evaluate the extent of undertreatment within this specific demographic.

Main Methods:

  • A probability household sample of 1,897 Puerto Rican children aged 4-17 years was surveyed.
  • Structured interviews were conducted with primary caretakers to identify psychiatric disorders and services received.
  • Data were collected between 1999-2000, with a 90.1% response rate.

Main Results:

  • Only 7.0% of children with ADHD received stimulant medication in the past year; 3.6% continued treatment.
  • Fewer than 25% of children with ADHD received school-based or psychosocial services.
  • ADHD diagnosis, impairment, and male gender predicted stimulant treatment; 0.2% of non-ADHD children received stimulants.

Conclusions:

  • Latino/Hispanic children with ADHD in this sample are significantly undertreated.
  • Current treatment rates fall short of evidence-based practices and clinical consensus.
  • Urgent interventions are needed to improve access to effective ADHD treatments for this population.
Abstract

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