Study finds big life expectancy deficit in adults with ADHD
Adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) show large reductions in life expectancy compared to those living without that diagnosis, according to a UK study.
The striking finding – gleaned from GP patient records from around 30,000 people with ADHD matched to 300,000 without – is that men diagnosed with the disorder live on average for 6.8 years less than the general population, while for women the difference is 8.6 years.
The ranges were 4.5 to nine years for men and 6.5 to 11 years for women, according to the researchers, who have published their observational study in the British Journal of Psychiatry and conclude that adults with an ADHD diagnosis "are living shorter lives than they should."
So, what could be behind the finding? Professor Joshua Stott, a senior author of the research from University College London, reckons that it is not a consequence of ADHD itself, but more likely factors like smoking, poor diet, drinking, risk-taking behaviour, and even higher rates of suicide.
From their study and other research, they also suggest that one reason for the difference could be that adults diagnosed with ADHD do not receive adequate treatment for the disorder itself and for mental and physical health conditions, like anxiety, depression, hypertension, and obesity, which can be associated with it.
They point out, however, that while almost 3% of adults in the UK have an ADHD diagnosis many are undiagnosed, so the gap in life expectancy may be overestimated. That raises concerns about under-diagnosis of ADHD, which could lead to patients missing out on treatment and support.
They conclude that the shortfall in life is "likely caused by modifiable factors such as smoking, and unmet mental and physical health support and unmet treatment needs" and expose "an important inequity that demands urgent attention."
A prior study in the US also found that ADHD was linked to shorter life expectancy, but did not look at health records, instead using self-reported education, occupation, health, and lifestyle variables at age 27 to predict life expectancy.
Commenting on the findings, Professor Philip Asherson of the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience at King's College London (KCL), said that "ADHD is increasingly recognised as a serious condition in adults associated with poor health outcomes."
"Services to support adults with ADHD and improve both physical and mental health outcomes lag behind those for other common conditions such as anxiety, depression, hypertension, and obesity," he added.
"Of particular concern are limited access to diagnosis and treatment, including psychosocial support. Until this is addressed the shorter life expectancy demonstrated in this study is likely to continue."
