Prescriptions for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (Adhd) in England Have Risen 18% Year on Year Since the Pandemic. This is higher than previously reported, and masks wide regional variations in prescibing rates, finds research published in the Journal BMJ Mental Health,

The trends likely reflected Reflects Public and Professional Awareness of the condition, Driven in Part by Social Media, as well as the potential impact of covid-19, sugges the results. But the regional variations point to intelligence in access to care, they add.

Adhd is Common in Children, with a Global Prevalence of Around 7%, Note the Researchers, While Its Prevalence in Symptomatic Adults is also the risk, with a reported amount of life.

Five drugs are licensed for its treatment in the uk: three stimulants (methylphenidate, dexamfetamine, lisdexamfetamine); And two non-stimulants (atomoxetine, guanfacine). And in the absence or Lack of Availability of Alternative Treatment Options, Such as Psychological or Behavioral Therapy, these drugs have a key role in adhd management, say the reserchers.

Several Studies Have Reported an increase in adhd prescriptions in engine the covid-19 pandemic, but most of these studies were based on the old nhs structure –before the into 42 integrated Care Systems -nd/or focused on specific groups or types of drug.

And Little is currently known about the potential influence of other factors, such as social deprivation, Inequalities, and mental health needs, they add.

To explore this further, they mined the English prescibing dataset from april 2019 to March 2024, looking at prescription trends for the five currently licensed adhd drugs at nural Board (ICB) levels.

The Findings Showed that prescriptions Increased Significantly from Around 25 Items per 1000 people in 2019-20 in 2019-20, before the advent of the Pandemic, to 41.55 Items in 2023-24, with an aveage of 18% Nationally – Higher than previously reported.

Methylphenidate remained the most frequently prescribed drug (19 items/1000 people), but the highest increase was for lisdexamfetamine, prescriptions for prscribe for 55% year. Rising from 2.86 items/1000 people in 2019–20 to 8.68 items in 2023–24.

Adhd prescriptions rose in all set regions of england, but there was significant regional variations: London Saw the Highest Annual Increase of 28%; The Northeast and Yorkshire Saw the lowest at 13%.

The second Highest change in the annual prescription rate of almost 19.5% was in southest england.

PRESCRIBING Trends also varied widely at the ICB level. The nhs birmingham and solihull icb witnessed the highest increase in prescriptions of almost 51.5%, but with considerable variation with the icb itself. The smallest increase of just over 4.5% was in nhs norfolk and waveney icb.

Further Analysis Showed Significant Statistical Association Between Socioeconomic Factors and Adhd prescriptions, particularly ethnicity and deprivation, but also Age and Inequality.

Several factors may explain the substantial Rise in Prescription Rates, Say the Researchers. “Increased Public and Professional Awareness, Partly Driven by Social Media Platforms Like Tiktok and Instagram, have likely encouraged more people to seek assessment, diagnosis and treant Write.

And they caution, “There is a pressing need for research into effective methods for vetting and modarating adhd-Related information on social media platforms to ensure it Inadvertent Spread Misinformation. “

The widespread disrupt and increase psychological stress levels caused by the covid-19 pandemic may also also have driven up driven up prescribing rates, they sugges.

“While our study has identified significant changes in prescription patterns during and after the pandemic, it is crucial to determine where the trends represent a temporary Change in adhd prescriptions, “They Emphasize.

And they conclude, “The Significant Rise in Adhd Prescriptions Across England Highlights the Urgent Need for Policies that Address Both Regional and Socioeconomic disparities in adhd carees in adhd carees. Targeted efforts should be made to meet the needs of each region by identifying specific barriers to care and their root causes. “