Quality of Life in Adults Aged 50+ With ADHD
Abstract
Objective: To study the quality of life in adults aged 50+ with ADHD. Method: An anonymous questionnaire survey was performed on 148 adults aged 50+ with ADHD. Quality of life was assessed with EuroQol and the Satisfaction With Life Scale. Age-matched Norwegian and Danish population samples served as reference groups. Results: Mean age of participants was 55.7 years, and mean age when diagnosed with ADHD was 50.2 years, while mean Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale Screener score was 15.2. Adults with ADHD reported significantly reduced health-related quality of life and reduced satisfaction with life compared with population norms. Nonemployment and severe ADHD were associated with poor quality of life. Conclusion: Adults aged 50+ with ADHD diagnosed in late adulthood reported significantly reduced quality of life when compared with population norms. The negative impact of ADHD persists into late adulthood.
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Older adults with ADHD report more partnership problems, higher rates of being divorced or never married, more emotional and social loneliness, more financial problems and lower lifetime productivity, as well as reduced health-related quality of life and reduced satisfaction with life compared to older individuals without ADHD.
“For example, older adults with ADHD report about more partnership problems, higher rates of being divorced or never being married, more emotional and social loneliness, more financial problems and lower lifetime productivity, as well as a reduced health-related quality of life and reduced satisfaction with life compared to older individuals without ADHD (Michielsen et al. 2015; Brod et al. 2012; L”
From ADHD and associated psychopathology in older adults in a German community sample (2023) · cites this paper as Lensing et al. 2015
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- Authors
- Lensing, M. B., Zeiner, P., Sandvik, L., & Opjordsmoen, S.
- Affiliations
- Oslo University Hospital (NO)
- Venue
- Journal of Attention Disorders
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2013-03-20
- Volume
- 19
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 405-413
- ISSN
- 1087-0547 (ISSN-L)
- 1557-1246
- OpenAlex
- W1984738731
- Cited by
- 66
- References
- 20
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 2 · 2013: 2
- FWCI
- 3.54
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Attention Disorders (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- EkstraStiftelsen Helse og Rehabilitering (Stiftelsen Dam)
- Janssen Pharmaceuticals
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Aging, Health, and Disability
- Keywords
- adult ADHD, old age, quality of life, health-related quality of life, life satisfaction, non-employment, late-onset ADHD, EuroQol, Satisfaction with Life Scale
- MeSH terms
- Aged, Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Norway, Personal Satisfaction, Quality of Life, Surveys and Questionnaires, Regression Analysis, Self Report
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