The Prevalence of Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder among Primary School Students in an Iranian Rural Region

Abstract

This study investigated the prevalence of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in a ru-ral population in Birjand, south east Iran. The total population of elementary students in this re-gion was 3408. A random sample method selected 1381 children (727 boys, and 654 girls; mean of age = 8.2 years, SD = 1.5 years). Conners Rating Scales and Diagnostic and the Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR) were used for screening and diagnosis of ADHD. Ninety-nine students (7.2% of the students) were identified as ADHD (10.3% of the boys and 3.7% of the girls). The combined ADHD subtype was the most prevalent (44%), hyperactive-impulsive subtype was second (38%), and inattentive was third (17%). This subtype pattern was the same for boys, how-ever, hyperactive-impulsive subtype more prevalent in girls (63%). It seems that ADHD appears to be a common problem among primary school children in the rural Iran, and findings are similar but higher than world-wide ADHD prevalence estimates (5.3%). The present prevalence rate for ADHD is closer to world-wide study estimates that are based on DSM-IV and International Classifi-cation of Diseases (ICD-10) criteria.