Epidemiological Survey Of Attention-deficient Hyperactivity Disorder And Related Factors In Zhenjiang Municipal Districts

Background: Attention-deficient hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of most common psyche developmental disorder in children, which have been drawing a worldwide attention for more than a century. This disorder is a syndrome contributed by biological, psychological as well as social environmental factors. The incidence rate has a tendency to increase year by year. Abnormal perceive and behavior caused more suffering to family, than to individual patients, and causes a lot of trouble to schools and society.Objective: In this study, epidemiological survey concerning prevalence rate of ADHD was carried out in Zhenjiang municipal districts,, to figure out the prevalence rate and related factors. It is more informative for children education and make out official plan for the prevention and treatment of ADHD, which make a lot of sense for the protection of our children and improvement of comprehensive diathesis.Methods: Self-administered questionnaire was designed and employed for the survey both for family and individual of 3810 pupils in elementary schools in Zhenjiang municipal districts. ADHD was diagnosed with the reference of the international DSM-IV. Prevalence rate was calculated and differences were determined by Qi-square test and multiple regression analysis.Result: The overall prevalence rate of ADHD was 6.544% in Zhenjiang municipal districts. Male pupil prevalence rate was 9.14%, while female 4.01%. There was significant difference in two gender groups (X2=34.933, pO.OOl). No difference was determined among grades in these schools (X2=3.41, p>0.05). Classification results were as followed. Attention-deficient type accounted for49.17%; Hyperactivity type 14.88%; the mixed 35.95%. Male accounted for majority of hyperactivity type, and significant higher than female. Multiple regression analysis showed that education levels of their parents, parent occupation, relationship between parents, treatment manner to children, environment within family, living environment as well as body weight at birth contributed to the prevalence rate. Peri-birth and feeding manner contributed little to the prevalence. Analysis of study record showed that pupil suffering from ADHD below the average (Chinese language X2=169.35, p<0.001; Mathematics X2=160.25,p<0.001).Conclusion: The overall prevalence rate of ADHD was 6.544% in Zhenjiang municipal districts. The rate in male was significant higher than that in female. No difference was confirmed among different districts and school grades. Family member, especially parent parameters as well as low birth body weight was closely related to the prevalence. ADHD subtypes attention-deficient and hyperactivity changed with age in both genders. ADHD severely impaired pupils' studying ability.