Under-Documented or Under-Recognized? Comorbid ADHD in Emergency Department Patients With Addictive Disorders
Elijah W Hale1, Tyler D Coyle1
1University of Colorado, Aurora, USA.
Objectives:
We sought to examine rates of comorbid ADHD and SUD/AUD using a nationally representative dataset, and to compare this data with established estimates. We hoped to increase available research on ADHD within patients with SUD/AUD.
Methods:
This study is a retrospective secondary analysis of cross-sectional data collected in the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS).
Results:
The data showed less than 1% of comorbid ADHD in either AUD or SUD, and prevalence of 0.6% in patients with both. Our estimated prevalence of ADHD among SUD/AUD patients is more than 30-fold smaller than the 25% consensus.
Conclusion:
The stark difference between our data and prior research indicates a need for further examination of the prevalence of ADHD within acute care. This finding of a large reservoir of ADHD that is unrecognized or undocumented indicates a substantive need for ADHD-focused education with opportunity for improvement in patient treatment.
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