Occurrence of Adult Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder in Estonia in 2013–2019 Based on Health Information Data
Name
Kati Koido
Abstract
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) belongs to mental and behavioral disorders and is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders in childhood and adolescence (Weibel et al., 2020). In recent years, the study of ADHD in adults has emerged as a new research direction, as the persistence and presence of symptoms of this disorder in adults have been identified (Di Lorenzo et al., 2023; Song et al., 2021). The aim of this master's thesis is to investigate the number of primary ADHD diagnoses in Estonia in 2013–2019 and to find out
whether there are differences in diagnoses and medications between adults with ADHD, depending on the confirmation of the diagnosis/treatment of ADHD in adulthood or in childhood and adolescence. According to the database containing Estonian health data, 0.07% of the number of persons in the database had been confirmed with primary diagnosis of ADHD as adult; 0.12% of the number of persons in the database had been confirmed with primary diagnosis of ADHD as child and adolescent. Of secondary psychiatric disorders, among ADHD confirmed as adult depression (47%) and anxiety disorders (37%) were more prevalent compared with those whose ADHD was confirmed as child and adolescent (16% and 9%, respecitvely) during the periods before ADHD diagnosis. When comparing the periods after ADHD diagnosis, more intellectual disability (22%) and specific developmental disorders (45%) were among ADHD confirmed as child and adolescent compared to acquiring ADHD as an adult (5% and 13%, respectively). In terms of medical treatment, there are differences in alprazolam, bupropion, escitalopram, diazepam, and zopiclone which are used for the treatment of depression, various anxiety disorders, and insomnia, where persons acquired ADHD as an adult (27%, 21%, 21%, 20%, 16%, respectively) used them more than persons who received ADHD as child and adolescent (< 5, 0%, < 5, 0%, 0%, respectively) during periods before ADHD.
whether there are differences in diagnoses and medications between adults with ADHD, depending on the confirmation of the diagnosis/treatment of ADHD in adulthood or in childhood and adolescence. According to the database containing Estonian health data, 0.07% of the number of persons in the database had been confirmed with primary diagnosis of ADHD as adult; 0.12% of the number of persons in the database had been confirmed with primary diagnosis of ADHD as child and adolescent. Of secondary psychiatric disorders, among ADHD confirmed as adult depression (47%) and anxiety disorders (37%) were more prevalent compared with those whose ADHD was confirmed as child and adolescent (16% and 9%, respecitvely) during the periods before ADHD diagnosis. When comparing the periods after ADHD diagnosis, more intellectual disability (22%) and specific developmental disorders (45%) were among ADHD confirmed as child and adolescent compared to acquiring ADHD as an adult (5% and 13%, respectively). In terms of medical treatment, there are differences in alprazolam, bupropion, escitalopram, diazepam, and zopiclone which are used for the treatment of depression, various anxiety disorders, and insomnia, where persons acquired ADHD as an adult (27%, 21%, 21%, 20%, 16%, respectively) used them more than persons who received ADHD as child and adolescent (< 5, 0%, < 5, 0%, 0%, respectively) during periods before ADHD.
Graduation Thesis language
Estonian
Graduation Thesis type
Master - Conversion Master in IT
Supervisor(s)
Kerli Mooses, Sirli Tamm, Marek Oja
Defence year
2024