264197 Racial/Ethnic Disparities in ADHD Diagnosis From Kindergarten Through Eighth Grade: Population-Based Estimates

Wednesday, October 31, 2012 : 10:30 AM - 10:45 AM

Paul Morgan, PhD , Department of Educational Psychology, Counseling, & Special Education, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
Marianne Hillemeier, PhD, MPH , Health Policy and Administration, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
George Farkas, PhD , Department of Education, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA
Steven Maczuga, MS , Population Research Institute, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
Background: Minority children are less likely to be diagnosed with ADHD, however current knowledge about ADHD patterns is limited because research has generally relied on single point in time analyses, cross-sectional designs, and small convenience samples that may not generalize to the U.S. school-aged population.

Purpose: To examine the likelihood of receiving an ADHD diagnosis from kindergarten through 8th grade by race/ethnicity.

Significance: ADHD is the most common mental health disorder in childhood. Because receiving an ADHD diagnosis paves the way for specialized educational programming and pharmacological treatment to mitigate the disorder's impact, underdiagnosis can have serious behavioral and academic consequences.

Methodology: Data come from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Cohort (ECLS-K), a nationally representative longitudinal cohort. Discrete-time logit models are estimated to quantify the odds of ADHD diagnosis from kindergarten through 8th grade by race/ethnicity, taking confounders into account.

Results: Estimated ORs for ADHD diagnosis for Blacks, Hispanics, and children of other race/ethnicity are .34, .37, and .49, respectively. These disparities remain despite control for maternal education, household income, prior academic achievement and behavioral functioning. Disparities in ADHD diagnosis are evident as early as kindergarten and continue until at least the end of 8th grade.

Conclusions: Minority children are less likely to receive an ADHD diagnosis, and as a result are less likely to access effective treatment. Racial/ethnic disparities in diagnosis are not explained by low SES status or a prior history of low academic or behavioral functioning, although these factors contribute to the likelihood of diagnosis.

Learning Areas:
Diversity and culture

Learning Objectives:
Discuss race/ethnic disparities in ADHD diagnosis among U.S. school children from kindergarten through 8th grade.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have extensive experience in children's health with an MSN and MPH in child health and a PhD in population health. I am Associate Professor in Department of Health Policy/Administration, Penn State, and joint appointments in Penn State School of Nursing, and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in Penn State College of Medicine, and Pennsylvania Office of Rural Health. I am widely published in peer reviewed journals on many child health topics include=ing ADHD.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 5156.0: Mental Health Programs and Services in Schools