Complementary Health Approach Utilization Among U.S. Adults With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A...

Introduction Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) frequently persists into adulthood and is associated with substantial functional impairment and unmet mental health needs. Complementary health approaches (CHAs) are commonly used by individuals with chronic mental health conditions; however, nationally representative data describing CHA utilization among U.S. adults with ADHD are limited. This study aims to examine patterns of CHA utilization among U.S. adults with ADHD and evaluate whether ADHD diagnosis was independently associated with CHA use. Methods We analyzed data from a nationally representative, quota-matched, cross-sectional survey of U.S. adults conducted in August 2024 (N = 3,022). ADHD status was based on self-reported clinician diagnosis. Participants reported CHA use within the past 12 months, as well as favorable expectations and experiences. CHAs were categorized as nutritional, psychological, physical, combined psychological and physical, or medical system-based-approaches. Logistic regression models estimated unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), controlling for demographic and socioeconomic covariates. Results Adults with ADHD (n = 474; 15.7%) were more likely to report use of any CHA compared with adults without ADHD in both unadjusted (OR 2.14, 95% CI 1.20-3.81) and adjusted analyses (adjusted OR 3.21, 95% CI 1.76-5.84). ADHD diagnosis was independently associated with higher utilization of physical, psychological, and combined psychological and physical approaches. No significant adjusted association was observed for nutritional approaches. Favorable expectations and experiences did not consistently differ by ADHD status after adjustment. Conclusions U.S. adults with ADHD demonstrate higher utilization of complementary health approaches, particularly those addressing psychological and physical domains. Differences in utilization were not consistently explained by more favorable expectations or experiences. These findings highlight patterns of complementary health use among adults with ADHD that may inform comprehensive, patient-centered-care.