Cited by 181Attention Deficit Hyperactivity DisorderDementia and Cognitive Impairment ResearchSchizophrenia research and treatment

Prevalence of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in older adults in the Netherlands

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Michielsen, Marieke, Semeijn, Evert, Comijs, Hannie C., van de Ven, Peter, Beekman, Aartjan T. F., Deeg, Dorly J. H., Kooij, J. J. Sandra·2012·British Journal of Psychiatry

Abstract

Background: Little is known about the prevalence of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) among older adults. Aims: To estimate the prevalence of the syndromatic and symptomatic DSM-IV ADHD diagnosis in older adults in The Netherlands. Method: Data were used from the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam (LASA). At baseline, 1494 participants were screened with an ADHD questionnaire and in 231 respondents a structured diagnostic interview was administered. The weighted prevalence of ADHD was calculated. Results: The estimated prevalence rate of syndromatic ADHD in older adults was 2.8%; for symptomatic ADHD the rate was 4.2%. Younger elderly adults (60–70 years) reported significantly more ADHD symptoms than older elderly adults (71–94 years). Conclusions: This is the first epidemiological study on ADHD in older persons. With a prevalence of 2.8% the study demonstrates that ADHD does not fade or disappear in adulthood and that it is a topic very much worthy of further study.

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Crossref · 10.1192/bjp.bp.111.101196

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  • The low number of ADHD diagnoses may indicate that awareness of ADHD in older adults is a recent phenomenon.

    “This may indicate that awareness of the possible existence of ADHD not only in children and young adults but also in older adults is a recent phenomenon”

    From Older Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders in Sweden: A Register Study of Diagnoses, Psychiatric Care Utilization and Psychotropic Medication of 601 Individuals (2018) · cites this paper as Michielsen et al. 2012

    The introductory passage says ADHD was once thought to occur only in childhood and that little is known about it in old age, which supports the suggestion that recognition in older adults is relatively recent. It does not report a low number of ADHD diagnoses or link that number to awareness. (LLM, conf=0.78)

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  • ADHD persists into adulthood and even into old age.

    “it is now agreed that the disorder persists into adulthood (e.g., [2, 3]), and even into old age [4, 5].”
  • In adults, research has suggested a nearly balanced gender ratio for ADHD.

    “In adults, research has suggested a nearly balanced gender ratio, which accounts for adult ADHD in general and for older ADHD patients in particular (Dobrosavljevic et al. 2020; Michielsen et al. 2012; Song et al. 2021).”

    From ADHD and associated psychopathology in older adults in a German community sample (2023) · cites this paper as Michielsen et al. 2012

  • A longitudinal study from the Netherlands reported an adjusted prevalence of 2.8% (95% CI = 0.86, 4.64) in adults aged 60 and older, after a two-phase procedure of screening and a diagnostic interview of current and childhood symptoms.

    “A longitudinal study from the Netherlands (Michielsen et al., 2012), reported an adjusted prevalence of 2.8 % (95 % CI = 0.86, 4.64) in adults aged 60 and older, after a two-phase procedure of screening and a diagnostic interview of current and childhood symptoms.”

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Cites

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Research works printed but not linked: 2

  1. Kooij JJS. Adult ADHD. Diagnostic Assessment and Treatment. Pearson Assessment and Information, 2010.
  2. Faraone SV, Biederman J, Spencer T. Diagnostic efficiency of symptoms for identifying adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. J ADHD Relat Disord 2009; 1: 38-48.

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Authors
Michielsen, M., Semeijn, E., Comijs, H. C., van de Ven, P., Beekman, A. T. F., Deeg, D. J. H., & Kooij, J. J. S.
Affiliations
  • PsyQ (NL)
  • Amsterdam Public Health (NL)
Corresponding author
Michielsen, Marieke
Venue
British Journal of Psychiatry
Published
2012-10
Volume
201
Issue
4
Pages
298-305
ISSN
  • 0007-1250 (ISSN-L)
  • 1472-1465
OpenAlex
W2051005639
Cited by
181
References
36
Citations by year
2026: 5 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 16 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 20 · 2019: 14 · 2018: 11 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 20 · 2015: 16 · 2014: 13 · 2013: 15 · 2012: 2
FWCI
10.47
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • The British Journal of Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Amsterdam UMC (VU Amsterdam) - Institutional Repository (publishedVersion, other-oa)
  • Digital Academic REpository of VU University Amsterdam (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam) (submittedVersion)
  • Pure Amsterdam UMC (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • VU Research Portal (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
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 › Psychiatry and Mental health › Schizophrenia research and treatment
Keywords
attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, older adults, prevalence, aging, Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam, DSM-IV diagnosis
MeSH terms
Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Aging, Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity, Female, Humans, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Middle Aged, Netherlands, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Prevalence

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