The Impact of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in African-Americans; Current Challenges Associated with Diagnosis and Treatment

Abstract

ADHD constitutes a serious issue in the African-American community. The Center for Dis‐ ease Control and Prevention lists the African American males as leading other racial groups and gender in the diagnosis of learning and behavioral disorders, incarceration rates, new HIV infections, homicide and poverty. Although the reason for these observations are quite complex and multidimensional, some of the comorbidities found in untreated African Americans patients with ADHD include conduct disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, de‐ pression, anxiety disorders, learning disabilities, and alcohol or drug addiction. In addition, even though African American males living in poverty are most likely to be referred to men‐ tal health agencies for mental health services, they are the least likely to receive mental health services. In 2006, the number of children in the United States aged between 5 and 7 who were diagnosed with ADHD was 4.5 million. In the last decades the number of chil‐ dren diagnosed with ADHD who are on psychotropic medication continues to rise steadily. However, the impact of this steady rise has been skewed and not evenly distributed by eth‐ nicity, socioeconomic status and gender as minorities (African Americans and Hispanics) are most often diagnosed or misdiagnosed. The incidence of ADHD appears to be similar in African-Americans and White populations. ADHD is diagnosed in 4.1% of all children with the greatest prevalence among Caucasian children (5.1%). However, when the prevalence of ADHD among male children are considered by race, African American children and adoles‐ cents are disproportionately diagnosed with ADHD, with an estimated prevalence rate of 5.65%, 4.3% for Hispanics, 3% for Whites; and 1.77% for females of all races. The prevalence of ADHD in African-Americans is most likely similar to that in the general population (3-5%); nevertheless, minority children have lower likelihood of receiving a diagnosis of