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Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, known as ADHD, has become more common among U.S. adults, according to a study published in the JAMA Network Open medical journal.
Why it matters: The study reflects in part increasing awareness about ADHD in adulthood among clinicians and patients, Dr. Hanna Stevens, a University of Iowa professor who has previously conducted research on ADHD, told CNN.
- "A trend we have seen in other research studies is that there is an increase in people seeking psychiatric care generally, which may also reflect a positive trend in reduced stigma to talking [about] psychiatric symptoms and seeking appropriate help for them," Stevens said to CNN.
By the numbers: There was "a 43% increase in the rate of adults being newly diagnosed over the 10-year period" from 2007 to 2016, the study's senior author Dr. Michael Milham told CNN.
- The number of diagnoses rose from 9.43 per every 10,000 people in 2007 to 13.49 per 10,000 people in 2016, according to the study.
- Prevalence of the disorder among adults increased from 0.43% in 2007 to 0.96% in 2016.
Yes, but: The study's limitations include that it only included adults seeking care within Kaiser Permanente North California, CNN reports.
- The study falls short in "understanding of ADHD in patients who are not a part of a health system such as Kaiser Permanente, which includes very low income individuals," Stevens told CNN.