Surge in UK ADHD prescriptions driven by women, study suggests
ADHD medication use surges in UK adults amid change in diagnosis
- The number of UK adults receiving medication for Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has increased twenty-fold since 2010, with women experiencing the most significant rise.
- A new study, led by University of Oxford academics, found that medication rates for women over 25 surged from 0.01 per cent to 0.2 per cent by 2023, a more than 20-fold increase.
- This dramatic increase among women is attributed to a growing understanding that ADHD often presents differently in females, frequently as inattentiveness rather than hyperactivity, leading to missed diagnoses in childhood.
- Despite the rise in prescriptions, only 31 per cent of UK patients remained on their medication after one year, suggesting difficulties in finding suitable long-term treatment.
- The study highlights that ADHD remains significantly undertreated compared to global prevalence estimates, with the NHS facing a crisis in neurodiversity services and long waiting lists for assessments.