About 6.4 percent of children and adolescents in Hong Kong are diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a new study found.
This comes after a new study, led by the University of Hong Kong, found that there has been a 36-fold increase in the use of medications to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in both children and adolescents in Hong Kong over 15 years.
The University of Hong Kong drove an international team of researchers to study medication prescription rates for ADHD in 15 areas of 13 countries. The research found ADHD medication use had expanded overall in the 15 places studied.
"We showed there was a generalized increase in the use of ADHD medications in different populations over 15 years from 2001 to 2015," Dr. Patrick Ip, a clinical associate professor at HKU's department of pediatrics and adolescent medicine, said in a statement obtained by South China Morning Post. "In Hong Kong, we found there was a 36 times increment of use of ADHD medications among our local population."
He went on to say that the numbers are something alarming because it only means that ADHD has become a major issue in Hong Kong. Also, the country's prescription rate has been increasing year by year.
Dr. Patrick Ip also attributed the "phenomenon" to more accurate diagnosis and growing awareness about the importance of treatment. He added: "Our population also has become more accepting of the use of ADHD medication."
The increase in the use of medications reflects the growing rate of individuals diagnosed with ADHD in the country. According to the Department of Health figures, about 6.4 percent of children and adolescents are affected by the disorder in Hong Kong, with 10,438 new cases in 2017.
Hence, Dr. Patrick Ip urged the government to provide more services relating to ADHD, adding that there should be comprehensive guidelines on the education, diagnosis, and treatment needs of ADHD patients. While ADHD is largely a genetic disorder, Dr. Patrick Ip believed that the individual's environment plays a huge role as well.
"That's why we believe we need to be particularly careful at having full support for children during the critical period from three to six years old," Dr. Patrick Ip added. "This is the period when we need to make sure that our kids have sufficient sleep and are not overexposed to digital devices."
Meanwhile, check out the video below to learn more about attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
