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April 5, 2023 | 10:06 p.m
Since 2010, ADHD rates have tripled overall, the study found.
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Number of people diagnosed Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) The U.S. is steadily climbing — especially among women, a new study finds.
While cases have increased in all age groups, the spike among women is most notable.
From 2020 to 2022, the number of women aged 23 to 49 diagnosed with the disorder nearly doubled.
To reach these findings, investigators at Epic Research, a health analytics firm based Verona, WisconsinData from 3,389,383 patients diagnosed with ADHD between 2010 and 2022 were analyzed.
Since 2010, rates of ADHD have tripled overall, the study found — but the share of patients Prescribed medication For the disorder remains consistent.
Males have historically been more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD, but research findings indicate that the gender gap has been closing over the past 12 years.
Since 2010, rates of ADHD have tripled overall, the study found — but the share of patients Prescribed medication For the disorder remains consistent.
Males have historically been more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD, but research findings indicate that the gender gap has been closing over the past 12 years.
Symptoms vary between women and men
Previous studies have proven that Women with ADHD Men have very different symptoms – which can prevent them from being evaluated and diagnosed.
“The data for ADHD is heavily skewed toward school-age males,” said Dr. Joseph Galasso, a psychologist at Baker Street Behavioral Health. in New Jersey, Fox News Digital said in a phone interview. He was not involved in the new study.
Girls “fly under the radar,” because their symptoms are internalized.
“Boys tend to be more active, with overt behaviors that lead to earlier diagnosis.”
On the other hand, she said girls “fly under the radar” because their symptoms are internalized.
Instead of hyperactivity, ADHD can be seen More like depression or anxiety in women, he adds.
Possible reasons for the increase in ADHD in women
Overall, women tend to receive an ADHD diagnosis later in life, often in their 30s or 40s, as WebMD reports.
That doesn’t surprise Dr. Galasso, who noted that the many stresses and demands of adult life can force women to seek help.
“As women begin careers, have children and handle other stressors, life with ADHD can become difficult to maintain,” she said.
Additionally, ADHD can be confused with others Mental health challengesAs a result, many cases are not diagnosed until later in life.
Symptoms of ADHD can mimic stress and anxiety.
“They realize it’s not right Stress or anxiety They are coping,” said Dr. Galasso.
Another factor that may be contributing to the increase is the ease of going to a psychiatrist or psychologist for care, he said.
Also, patients became more aware of the disorder as a whole.
“I have patients who come to my practice and have already diagnosed themselves,” the doctor said.
“They may have trouble concentrating, have memory problems or struggle to focus, or are really stressed out. And they’ve done their research and have an idea that it could be ADHD.”
Future studies are needed
Dr. Jackie Gerhart, Epic’s chief medical officer and a family medicine physician based in Wisconsin, said that in future studies, she wants to look at the way ADHD services are delivered — specifically, whether telehealth is linked to the new numbers. ADHD diagnosis and proportion of patients who were prescribed medication.
“Telehealth helps increase access to mental health care, so it’s possible that patients who were previously undiagnosed with ADHD were able to receive diagnosis and care through expanded telehealth access,” he told Fox News Digital.
“It would be interesting to study whether telehealth services are used differently by male or female patients,” he added.
More than 8 million American adults are thought to have ADHD, but some studies show that up to 80% of them don’t know they have the disorder, according to WebMD.
