Identifying Risk Factors for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): a Public Health Concern and Opportunity

AbstractAttention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders with significant individual and societal negative impacts of the disorder continuing into adulthood (Danielson et al. in  Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology,in press; Landes and London in Journal of Attention Disorders 25:3 –13,2021). Genetic and environmental risk (e.g., modifiable exposures such as prenatal tobacco exposure and child maltreatment) for ADHD is likely multifactorial (Faraone et al. in Neuroscience& Biobehavioral Reviews 128:789 –818,2021). However, the evidence for potentially modifiable contextual risks is spread across studies with different methodologies and ADHD criteria limiting understanding of the relationship between early risk factors and later childhood ADHD. Using common methodology across six meta-analyses (Bitsko et al. in Prevention Science,2022; Claussen et al. in Prevention Science 1 –23, 2022; Dimitrov et al. in Prevention Science,2023; Maher et al. in Prevention Science,2023; Robinson, Bitsko  et al. in Prevention Science,2022; So et al. in Prevention Science,2022) examining 59 risk factors for childhood ADHD, the papers in this special issue use a public health approach to address prior gaps in the literature. This introductory paper provides examples of comprehensive public health approaches focusing on policy, systems, and environmental changes across socio-ecological contexts to improve health and w...
Source: Prevention Science - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research