UNITED STATES

Staley et al (2024) calculated estimates of ADHD prevalence in adults 18 and older, using data from the National Center for Health Statistics Rapid Surveys System collected during October–November 2023.

15.5 million adults (6.0 percent) have a current diagnosis of ADHD.

• Prevalence by age:
  • 21.7 percent adults ages 18-24
  • 62.8 percent adults ages 25-29
  • 10.6 percent adults ages 50-64
  • 4.9 percent adults ages 65 and over
• Prevalence by gender:
  • 44.2 percent female
  • 55.8 percent male
• Prevalence by education:
  • 41.8 percent have a high school diploma or less
  • 30.1 percent have some college education
  • 28.1 percent have bachelor’s degree or above
• Prevalence by race and ethnicity:
  • 7.4 percent Black or African American
  • 70.4 percent White
  • 16.6 percent Hispanic or Latino
  • 5.6 percent Other
• Prevalence by household income:
  • 22.1 percent with incomes less than 100% of the federal poverty level
  • 14.5 percent with incomes of 100% to less than 200% of the federal poverty level
  • 23.3 percent with incomes of 200% to less than 400% of the federal poverty level
  • 40.0 percent with incomes of 400% of the federal poverty level or more
• Prevalence by metropolitan status:
  • 83.0 percent reside in metro areas
  • 17.0 percent reside in nonmetro areas

Age at diagnosis and treatment of adults with current ADHD diagnosis

• Age at diagnosis
  • 44.1 percent were less than 18 years old
  • 55.9 percent were 18 years or older
• ADHD treatment during the previous 12 months
  • 36.5 percent received none
  • 35.2 percent received medication and counseling or behavioral treatment
  • 13.3 percent received counseling or behavioral treatment only
  • 15.1 percent received medication only
• Was prescribed medication to treat ADHD during the previous 12 months
  • 50.4 percent said Yes
  • 49.6 percent said No
• Reported taking a prescribed stimulant ADHD medication during the previous 12 months
  • 33.4 percent said Yes
  • 66.6 percent said No
• Reported taking a prescribed nonstimulant ADHD medication during the previous 12 months
  • 5.9 percent said Yes
  • 94.1 percent said No
• Reported having difficulty getting ADHD prescription filled during the previous 12 months because their ADHD medication was not available
  • 61.8 percent among all adults who reported taking any ADHD medication
  • 71.5 percent among adults who reported taking stimulant ADHD medication

Telehealth use among adults with current ADHD diagnosis

• Ever received telehealth services for ADHD
  • 46.0 percent said Yes
  • 54.0 percent said No
• Diagnosed with ADHD
  • 8.9 percent received diagnosis during only telehealth visits
  • 9.5 percent received diagnosis during a mix of in-person and telehealth visits
  • 81.7 percent received diagnosis during only in-person visits
• At any time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic (i.e., March 2020) used any telehealth visit
  • 30.5 percent had telehealth visits with a doctor, nurse, or other health professional to get a prescription for medication to help their ADHD
  • 30.8 percent had telehealth visits to receive counseling or therapy to help with their ADHD

According to a screen for ADHD in 3,199 adults aged 18–44 from the National Comorbidity Survey Replication (NCS-R), 4.4% of US adults have ADHD. Of these adults with ADHD, 38% are women and 62% are men (Kessler et al. 2006).

A systematic review and meta-analysis of 14 studies that included over 9,400 adult attendees in psychiatric outpatient clinics shows high rates of adult ADHD.  The pooled prevalence of ADHD was about 15% in the five studies using a two-stage design and about 27% in the nine screening studies.  The study was published in the Journal of Attention Disorders (Adamis et al. 2022).