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Updated: Mar 14, 2026

Event Related Potentials ERPs and other EEG Based Methods for Extracting Biomarkers of Brain Dysfunction: Examples from Pediatric Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder ADHD
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Event Related Potentials ERPs and other EEG Based Methods for Extracting Biomarkers of Brain Dysfunction: Examples from Pediatric Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder ADHD

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ADHD medication prescription: Effects of child, sibling, parent and general practice characteristics

Marianne J Heins1, Inge Bruggers1, Liset van Dijk1

  • 11 Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research (NIVEL), Utrecht, The Netherlands.

Journal of Child Health Care : for Professionals Working with Children in the Hospital and Community
|October 7, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Child diagnosis, family history, and general practice characteristics significantly influence attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medication prescriptions. These factors impact treatment decisions for children with ADHD.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Medicine
  • Psychiatry
  • Health Services Research

Background:

  • Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is common in children, with medication being a primary treatment.
  • Factors influencing ADHD medication prescription decisions in primary care are not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relative impact of child, family, and general practitioner (GP) practice-level factors on ADHD medication prescription.

Main Methods:

  • Multilevel analyses were conducted on a cohort of 1259 Dutch children (aged 6-18) with ADHD or related behavioral problems from the NIVEL primary care database.
  • Predictors of ADHD medication prescription were examined at individual, family, and GP practice levels.

Main Results:

  • Children diagnosed with 'hyperactivity' were 16 times more likely to receive ADHD medication compared to those with 'behavioral concerns'.
  • Having a parent or sibling on ADHD medication increased a child's likelihood of prescription by 3-4 times.
  • Children in GP practices with a higher prevalence of ADHD diagnoses were twice as likely to be prescribed medication.

Conclusions:

  • ADHD medication prescription is determined by a combination of child-specific characteristics, family history, and general practice factors.
  • Further research is needed to elucidate the decision-making processes involved in prescribing ADHD medication.

Keywords:
Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorderchildfamilymethylphenidateprescriptionsprimary health care

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