The number of prescriptions for drugs to treat attention deficit
hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children ages 5 to 19 increased 274
percent worldwide between 1993 and 2003. And spending on the drugs
increased nine-fold, says a U.S. study in the journal
Health Affairs.
During that time, the number of countries using ADHD drugs increased
from 31 to 55. Australia, Canada and the United States all had
higher-than-expected use of the drugs,
BBC News reported.
"ADHD could become the leading childhood disorder treated with
medication across the globe," said study leader Professor Richard
Scheffler of the University of California, Berkeley.
Scheffler noted that one in 25 American children and adolescents is
taking drugs for ADHD. He added that the study findings challenge the
widespread belief that ADHD is largely a U.S. issue,
BBC News reported.
