Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Treatment Practice and Quality of Life Assessment in Turkey – Results From a 12-Month Prospective Observational Study

Objective:

Primary objective was to describe the treatment regimens prescribed for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and the patients’ quality of life (QoL) via data analyses for Turkey from an international, multicentered, 12- month prospective observational study.

Method:

283 patients aged between 6-17 years who were being treated for ADHD were assessed by using the Child and Adolescent Symptom Inventory-4 Parent Checklist, Clinical Global Impressions-ADHD-Severity scale, QoL and Child Health and Illness Profile-Child Edition (CHIP-CE) parent report form. Patients were grouped as treatment and non-treatment groups.

Results:

In the study, it was observed that 76% of the children and adolescents diagnosed with ADHD received pharmacotherapy, psychotherapy or both. The remaining 24% received either no treatment or another alternative treatment. When treatment practices were compared, the biggest group of patients consisted of those who had received pharmacotherapy alone at baseline (37.1%) and at the 12th month visit, the percentage of patients being treated with pharmacotherapy had increased to 83.6%. No statistically significant difference was observed between treatment groups for baseline demographics, ADHD symptom severity, and comorbid diagnoses. Baseline QoL of patients was impaired in all parameters and was more impaired in the treatment cohort.

Discussion:

QoL of ADHD patients in Turkey is impaired at the time of diagnosis and impaired QoL seemed to play a substantial role in giving the decision for treatment. Results of this study will provide a base for future ADHD treatment practice studies.