Getting to Long‐Term Effectiveness and Safety of Attention‐deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Medications

Abstract

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medication use has dramatically increased in youth worldwide. Recent prevalence data in some European countries show expanded use with one country now matching US usage. Still, substantial geographic differences by country remain regarding the extent to which children receive ADHD medications. These geographic differences by country raise research questions about which country's prevalence data represents appropriate medication use. We urgently need country level studies to contribute to our understanding of an appropriate prevalence of ADHD medication use.

The 10-year trend in drug prescriptions for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in Germany

“…In this situation, new and valid data that highlight the prescription of these drugs are key for optimal treatment and rational discourse. According to Beau-Lejdstrom and Magno Zito [20], it is essential to expand our knowledge of medication use patterns from large observational studies, for example, by measuring the prevalence of ADHD medication use across the age groups and in terms of duration (i.e. persistence of ADHD medication use).…”

ADHD Medication in the Longer Term

“…Independent of the scientifi c considerations above, social values play an important part in the decisions about whether medicines should be off ered and, if off ered, should be accepted in the longer term. International comparisons could be useful in generating ideas about best practice in who to treat and for how long (Beau-Lejdstrom & Zito, 2018). Taylor (2017) used diff erences between administrative and research prevalence in diff erent countries to suggest that both overdiagnosis and underrecognition of problems characterize diff erent regions.…”

Treating a Child With Mental Illness

“…Otherwise, how can we make sense of the higher use of ADHD medicines in one geographical area over the other for this “biological” condition (assuming that it does not simply represent normal variation)? In this issue of the journal, Beau‐Lejdstrom and Magno Zito summarize their previous work on ADHD medication use across different geographical areas in Europe and the United States. The relative difference in the use of ADHD medications between the studied developed countries was nearly eightfold (the highest in the Netherlands and the United States, and the lowest in the United Kingdom).…”