health
Men who had ADHD in childhood have less education and money
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Oct. 22, 2012
Men who were diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder as children have worse educational, occupational, economic and social outcomes than men without the disorder, said a study published online Oct. 15 in Archives of General Psychiatry. Health professionals should monitor and appropriately treat children and adolescents with ADHD to minimize problems later in life, the study said.
Researchers examined data on 135 white men diagnosed with ADHD in childhood and 136 men without the condition. Both groups had an average age of 41. The study found that 31.1% of men diagnosed with ADHD in childhood never completed high school, compared with 4.4% of men without the condition. Having a bachelor’s degree was more common among those without ADHD (34.6%) than it was for men diagnosed with the disorder (15.6%).
Men diagnosed with ADHD made less money than those without the condition. They also were more likely to have substance use disorders, nicotine dependence and higher divorce rates (link).
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2012/10/22/hlbf1022.htm.
