Department of Medicine and Surgery, Liaquat National Hospital and Medical College, National Stadium Road, Karachi, 74800, Pakistan.
Department of Psychiatry, Liaquat National Hospital and Medical College, National Stadium Road, Karachi, 74800, Pakistan.
BMC Psychiatry. 2024 Nov 25;24(1):845. doi: 10.1186/s12888-024-06182-4.
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is now acknowledged as a significant public health concern, a persistent neurodevelopmental disorder. It poses challenges across various life domains, persisting into adulthood, and is often undiagnosed. From July 2023 to December 2023, this study investigated the prevalence, types, participants' knowledge and perceptions, and demographic determinants of undiagnosed adult ADHD among undergraduate medical students in Pakistan.
This cross-sectional study enrolled 342 undergraduate medical students who fulfilled the selection criteria. The data was collected using an online self-administered survey consisting of three main parts using the WHO 18-question Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale, Version 1.1 (ASRS-v1.1), to assess adult ADHD symptoms. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS (version 26.0).
119 medical students, or 34.8%, had adult ADHD. Inattentive dominance was the most prevalent presentation at (86, 72.3%), followed by mixed dominance at (20, 16.8%), and hyperactive dominance at (13, 10.9%). There was a statistically significant (p < 0.05) association between individuals who screened positive for adult ADHD and had co-occurring psychological disorders (e.g., anxiety, depression) and a family history of psychiatric disorders (e.g., ADHD, generalized anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder). Additionally, these individuals perceived that individuals with adult ADHD could live a normal life despite their condition. While the type of ADHD was significantly associated with the use of medications for psychological disorders, it was significantly higher among hyperactive dominants (5,71.4%), and the family history of GAD was significantly higher (2,10.0%) among mixed dominants.
This study reveals a significant prevalence of undiagnosed adult ADHD and an inattentive dominance among medical students in Pakistan, highlighting gaps in awareness and screening. These findings emphasize the crucial need for implementing ADHD screening programs.
注意缺陷多动障碍（ADHD）现在被认为是一个重大的公共卫生问题，是一种持续存在的神经发育障碍。它在各个生活领域都带来挑战，持续到成年期，且常常未被诊断。本研究于 2023 年 7 月至 12 月，调查了巴基斯坦本科医学生中未确诊的成人 ADHD 的患病率、类型、参与者的知识和认知，以及人口统计学决定因素。
这项横断面研究纳入了 342 名符合选择标准的本科医学生。使用世界卫生组织 18 项成人 ADHD 自评量表，版本 1.1（ASRS-v1.1）的在线自我管理问卷调查收集数据，以评估成人 ADHD 症状。使用 SPSS（版本 26.0）进行数据分析。
119 名医学生，或 34.8%，患有成人 ADHD。以注意力不集中为主导的表现最常见（86，72.3%），其次是混合主导（20，16.8%），多动主导（13，10.9%）。筛查出成人 ADHD 阳性且存在共患心理障碍（如焦虑、抑郁）和精神障碍家族史（如 ADHD、广泛性焦虑障碍、双相情感障碍）的个体之间存在统计学显著关联（p<0.05）。此外，这些个体认为，尽管患有成人 ADHD，但他们仍能过上正常的生活。虽然 ADHD 的类型与心理障碍药物的使用显著相关，但多动主导者更高（5，71.4%），混合主导者中广泛性焦虑障碍的家族史更高（2，10.0%）。
本研究揭示了巴基斯坦医学生中未确诊的成人 ADHD 发生率较高，以注意力不集中为主导，表明对该病的认识和筛查存在差距。这些发现强调了实施 ADHD 筛查计划的迫切需要。
