Amin Rasheeq M, Amin Sharno C, Amin Nasima J, Islam M Aminul
Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine, Birmingham, USA.
Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, My Psychiatry Clinic, Hoover, USA.
Cureus. 2024 Sep 17;16(9):e69596. doi: 10.7759/cureus.69596. eCollection 2024 Sep.
Introduction The COVID-19 era has seen an increased trend in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnoses. Historically, males have been diagnosed with ADHD more frequently than females during childhood. Studies have indicated a higher use of stimulant medications among male ADHD cases compared to females. This study examines ADHD cases from 2021 to 2023 to analyze yearly trends following the initial COVID-19 spike and explores gender and age differences between ADHD-positive and ADHD-negative cases. Methods This retrospective study was conducted using data from an urban outpatient mental health clinic in Alabama. Data were extracted from Electronic Health Records (EHR) for patients seen from January 1, 2021, to December 31, 2023. The Institutional Review Board (IRB) approved the study under the exempt research category. Data were analyzed using Microsoft Excel (Microsoft® Corp., Redmond, WA, USA) and the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, IBM Corp., Version 26.0, Armonk, NY). Diagnoses were based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) criteria, and clinical diagnoses and medication information were obtained from the EHR. Results The study included 1,422 patients, of whom 881 (62%) were diagnosed with ADHD. Females with ADHD had significantly higher comorbid conditions, such as major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder, compared to males with ADHD. Gender differences in ADHD diagnoses were seen over the years, though no significant age differences were observed. Conclusions The study indicates a sustained high rate of ADHD diagnoses even after the initial COVID-19 spike. Females showed a higher ADHD diagnoses compared to males, but stimulant medication use remained consistent across genders. No significant age differences were observed between males and females with ADHD. Further research is needed to explore the reasons behind these gender differences and to evaluate their implications.
引言 在新冠疫情时代，注意力缺陷多动障碍（ADHD）的诊断呈上升趋势。从历史上看，儿童期男性被诊断为ADHD的频率高于女性。研究表明，与女性ADHD患者相比，男性ADHD患者使用兴奋剂药物的比例更高。本研究调查了2021年至2023年的ADHD病例，以分析在新冠疫情首次激增后的年度趋势，并探讨ADHD阳性和阴性病例之间的性别和年龄差异。
方法 本回顾性研究使用了阿拉巴马州一家城市门诊心理健康诊所的数据。数据从2021年1月1日至2023年12月31日就诊患者的电子健康记录（EHR）中提取。机构审查委员会（IRB）在豁免研究类别下批准了该研究。数据使用Microsoft Excel（美国华盛顿州雷德蒙德市微软公司）和社会科学统计软件包（IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows，IBM公司，版本26.0，纽约州阿蒙克市）进行分析。诊断基于《精神疾病诊断与统计手册》第五版（DSM-5）标准，临床诊断和用药信息从EHR中获取。
结果 该研究纳入了1422名患者，其中881名（62%）被诊断为ADHD。与患有ADHD的男性相比，患有ADHD的女性有更高的共病率，如重度抑郁症、广泛性焦虑症、恐慌症和创伤后应激障碍。多年来在ADHD诊断上存在性别差异，但未观察到显著的年龄差异。
结论 该研究表明，即使在新冠疫情首次激增后，ADHD的诊断率仍持续居高不下。与男性相比，女性的ADHD诊断率更高，但兴奋剂药物的使用在性别上保持一致。患有ADHD的男性和女性之间未观察到显著的年龄差异。需要进一步研究以探索这些性别差异背后的原因并评估其影响。
