Prevalence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in elementary school students

Abstract

Background: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most prevalent psychiadric disorders starting from Childhood and is considered as an important mental health problem of a society. Behavioral disorders including ADHD may have distractive effects on peoples social, educational, personality, and behavioral relationship in their childhood and adulthood. Therefore, we decided to conduct the present research for ADHD in elementary school students of Khoramabad year 2004. Materials and methods: This research was a cross-sectional study. Its statistical community includes all the students studing in grades one to five at elementary school in Khorramabad (N=945). Some 16 state and private schools (8 girls and 8 boys schools) were selected in a cluster and multi-stage method. The standardized questionnaire Child symptom inventories – 4 (CSI4) has been used to collect data, which was a means for the prevalens of children’s psychiatric disorders. Owing to their scoring. The cases which showed ADHD were undergone clinical examination by psychiatrist. Then, the results were analyzed using descriptive statistic and X2 test. Results: The total sample was 945 children There were 50.7% and 49.3% girls and boys respectively. Some 3.17 per cent of them were reported to suffer from ADHD the most percentages of which were of inattention (40%), overactivens (33.3%), and mixed type (26.6%). ADHD was reported to be more prevalent in boys than girls (4.9% VS. 1.5%). The students in grade 5 showed the lowest, and those in grade 2 and 3 showed the highest prevalence rate of suffering from ADHD. There was also a significant relationship between children’s sex and ADHD (P<0.005). However, there seemed no significant relationship between parents age, education, job, income, grade, and the family psychiatric problems. Conclusion: Due to the high prevalence of the disorder including ADHD, and lack of enough attention to their consequences in children and adolescent age group. It seems necessary to identify these disorders so that they may be considered in time. Since our population is stepping to word growth and development, understanding children’s problems is very worthy. Because they play an important role in our society future. On the other hand, providing mental health for children and teenagers half them to play better their social, mental and physical role in society.