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Healthcare use by children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder with and without psychiatric comorbidities

Lynn L DeBar1, Frances L Lynch, Myde Boles

  • 1Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research, 3800 N Interstate Ave, Portland, OR 97227, USA. lynn.debar@kpchr.org

The Journal of Behavioral Health Services & Research
|July 21, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) utilize more healthcare services, including general medical and mental health care. Comorbidities further increase the demand for these services and psychotropic medication use.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Healthcare
  • Child Psychiatry
  • Health Services Research

Background:

  • Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder in children.
  • Understanding healthcare utilization patterns is crucial for resource allocation and care management.
  • The impact of psychiatric comorbidities on healthcare use in children with ADHD requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine healthcare services utilized by children diagnosed with ADHD.
  • To compare healthcare use between children with ADHD, with and without psychiatric comorbidities, and a control group.
  • To identify specific service categories most affected by ADHD and its comorbidities.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective cohort study design.
  • Inclusion of continuously enrolled children aged 5-12 within a large health maintenance organization.
  • Data collection from computer records of outpatient medical care, specialty mental health services, and prescription drug dispensings.

Main Results:

  • Children with ADHD, regardless of comorbidities, accessed more general medical services than control groups.
  • Increased utilization of outpatient visits and acute care (emergency room/urgent care) was observed in children with ADHD.
  • ADHD and co-occurring psychiatric conditions significantly elevated the use of specialty mental health services and psychotropic medications.

Conclusions:

  • Children with ADHD represent a high-need population for healthcare services.
  • The presence of psychiatric comorbidities exacerbates healthcare utilization in children with ADHD.
  • Healthcare systems must be prepared to manage the comprehensive needs of children with ADHD and associated conditions.

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