The Burden of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in the Middle East and North Africa Region, 1990 to 2019

Saeid Safiri; Seyed Ehsan Mousavi; Seyed Aria Nejadghaderi; Maryam Noori; Mark J M Sullman; Shahrokh Amiri; Ali-Asghar Kolahi

doi:10.1177/10870547231187161

The Burden of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in the Middle East and North Africa Region, 1990 to 2019

J Atten Disord. 2023 Nov;27(13):1433-1447. doi: 10.1177/10870547231187161. Epub 2023 Jul 25.

Authors

Saeid Safiri¹, Seyed Ehsan Mousavi², Seyed Aria Nejadghaderi³, Maryam Noori⁴, Mark J M Sullman⁵, Shahrokh Amiri², Ali-Asghar Kolahi⁶

Affiliations

¹ Clinical Research Development Unit of Tabriz Valiasr Hospital, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
² Neurosciences Research Center, Aging Research Institute, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
³ Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Expert Group (SRMEG), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran.
⁴ Student Research Committee, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
⁵ Department of Life and Health Sciences, University of Nicosia, Nicosia, Cyprus.
⁶ Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

PMID: 37491897
DOI: 10.1177/10870547231187161

Abstract

Objective: To report the burden of ADHD in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region from 1990 to 2019.

Methods: Publicly available data on the burden of ADHD were retrieved from the Global Burden of Disease study 2019. The counts and age-standardized rates (per 100,000) were presented.

Results: In 2019, ADHD had an age-standardized point prevalence of 1245.1 and a years lived with disability (YLD) rate of 15.1 per 100,000 in MENA, which were 7.2% (-11 to -3.3) and 7.2% (-11.2 to -2.7) lower, respectively, than in 1990. The highest YLD rate of ADHD was found in the 10 to 14 age group and there were no remarkable differences between males and females. No clear association was found between the YLD rate and the socio-demographic index.

Conclusion: The burden of ADHD in the MENA region decreased over the period 1990 to 2019, and regularly updating the epidemiological information is suggested.

Keywords: Middle East and North Africa; attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; epidemiology; incidence; years lived with disability.