Associations of Age, Gender, and Subtypes With ADHD Symptoms and Related Comorbidity in a Danish Sample of Clinically Referred Adults.

OBJECTIVE: The aim was to examine associations of age and gender with ADHD subtypes and subsequently to examine associations of age, gender, and subtypes with comorbid psychiatric disorders. METHOD: Odds ratios were calculated and logistic regression performed using information from a clinical sample of 155 ADHD adults referred to a Danish specialized ADHD unit from 2010 to 2011. RESULTS: A majority of men (65%) was found in the sample. Most patients were subtyped ADHD combined (78%), followed by ADHD inattentive (18%), and ADHD hyperactive-impulsive (4%). No significant differences were found in gender and age across subtypes. Current comorbid disorders were found in 57% of the ADHD patients. Significantly more comorbidity was found in the ADHD combined type and in patients ≥25 years. Significantly more men had substance use disorders and significantly more women had personality disorders. CONCLUSION: When assessing adult ADHD patients' age, gender, subtype, and related comorbid symptom profiles should be taken into account.

Education, occupation and risk-taking behaviour among adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

INTRODUCTION: No Danish studies examining functional impairments in a naturalistic sample of clinically referred adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are available. Our study aimed to examine educational and occupational outcomes and risk-taking behaviour in a Danish clinical sample of adults with ADHD. METHODS: Naturalistic, cross-sectional study of 155 ADHD adults consecutively referred to a Danish ADHD clinic from 2010 to 2011. RESULTS: A total of 51% had primary/lower secondary school only as their highest education, and 65% were not self-supporting at the time of their assessment. Criminal behaviour was found in more than 50%, suspension of driving licence in 16% and risk-taking sexual behaviour in 37-51%. Co-morbidity did not significantly increase the odds for a low educational level or of risk-taking behaviours. Having a personality disorder (PD) increased occupational vulnerability. Male gender and ADHD-C (combined type) were significantly associated with criminality and suspension of driving licence. Patients with substance use disorders and PD had non-significantly increased odds for risk-taking behaviours. CONCLUSION: Functional impairments were evident in this Danish sample of adults with ADHD. Most of our findings could not be accounted for by co-morbidity, underlining the importance of targeting treatment at ADHD itself. FUNDING: This research was funded by The Psychiatric Research Foundation of the Central Denmark Region. TRIAL REGISTRATION: not relevant.

Undetected common mental disorders in long-term sickness absence.

Background. Undetected Common Mental Disorders (CMDs) amongst people on sick leave complicate rehabilitation and return to work because appropriate treatments are not initiated. Aims. The aim of this study is to estimate (1) the frequencies of CMD, (2) the predictors of undetected CMD, and (3) the rate of return to work among sick listed individuals without a psychiatric disorder, who are registered on long-term sickness absence (LSA). Methods. A total of 2,414 incident individuals on LSA with a response rate of 46.4%, were identified for a two-phase study. The subsample of this study involved individuals registered on LSA who were sick-listed without a psychiatric sick leave diagnosis. In this respect, Phase 1 included 831 individuals, who were screened for mental disorders. In Phase 2, following the screening of Phase 1, 227 individuals were thoroughly examined by a psychiatrist applying Present State Examination. The analyses of the study were carried out based on the 227 individuals from Phase 2 and, subsequently, weighted to be representative of the 831 individuals in Phase 1. Results. The frequencies of undetected mental disorders among all sick-listed individuals were for any psychiatric diagnosis 21%, depression 14%, anxiety 4%, and somatoform disorder 6%. Conclusions. Undetected CMD may delay the initiation of appropriate treatment and complicate the rehabilitation and return to work.