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Service use in children aged 6-8 years with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

journal contribution
posted on 2016-02-01, 00:00 authored by D Efron, O Moisuc, V McKenzie, Emma SciberrasEmma Sciberras
OBJECTIVE: This study investigated prevalence, types and predictors of professional service use in families of children identified with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the community. DESIGN: SETTING: children with ADHD were identified through 43 schools using parent and teacher screening questionnaires (Conners 3 ADHD Index) followed by case confirmation using the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children Version IV. Parents completed a survey about professional service use in the last 12 months. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: data on variables potentially associated with service use were collected from parents (interview and questionnaires), teachers (questionnaires) and children (direct assessment). Logistic regression was used to examine predictors of service use in univariate and multivariable analyses. RESULTS: The sample comprised 179 children aged 6-8 years with ADHD. Over one-third (37%) had not received professional services in the last 12 months. The strongest predictors of service use were older child age (adjusted OR=3.0, 95% CI 1.0 to 8.9, p=0.05), and the degree to which the child's behaviour impacted on the family (adjusted OR=2.0, 95% CI 1.3 to 3.3, p=0.007), after controlling for ADHD subtype and severity, externalising comorbidities, academic achievement and parent-reported impairment. CONCLUSIONS: A substantial proportion of children with ADHD are not accessing professional services. Our findings suggest that the child's age and the impact of the child's behaviour on the family are the strongest predictors of service use. Given the demonstrated benefits from various interventions in ADHD, there is a need to improve case identification and referral for services.

History

Journal

Archives of disease in childhood

Volume

101

Pagination

161-165

Location

London, Eng.

ISSN

0003-9888

eISSN

1468-2044

Language

eng

Publication classification

C Journal article, C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal

Copyright notice

2016, BMJ Publishing Group

Issue

2

Publisher

BMJ Publishing Group