ADHD costs USA more than drug abuse and depression

Main Category: ADHD
Article Date: 12 Sep 2004 - 23:00 PDT

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ADHD (Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) is much more common in the USA than most people realise - ADHD costs sufferers approximately $77 billion every year. This is more than the total costs of drug abuse and depression, according to a new study carried out at Harvard University, USA.

Over eight million adult Americans suffer from ADHD. Many people think that only children are sufferers. Many adults with ADHD suffer from low incomes, higher risk of divorce, a higher risk of being involved in car crashes and a higher chance of losing their jobs.

Dr. Joseph Biederman, Psychiatry Prof., Harvard Medical School, said "It has been shocking to me when we calculate the economic impact of this condition. ADHD is one of the costliest medical conditions that we have…..Unless someone asks the key questions to make a diagnosis, diagnosis is impossible."

The researchers found that ADHD sufferers who had graduated from high school had an annual income £10,800 lower than non-sufferers. ADHD sufferers who had a college degree earned $4300 less.

They also found that a much smaller percentage of adults with ADHD had full time jobs when compared to non-ADHD sufferers. The researchers studied 500 adults who had ADHD.

Dr. Joseph Biederman said "The symptoms of ADHD are very visible to employers. Many of these adults report, for example, that they are the last ones to be considered for promotions."

Dr. Joseph Biederman said that adults and children with ADHD had similar symptoms.

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