GLOBAL
A meta-analysis of 175 research studies worldwide on ADHD prevalence in children aged 18 and under found an overall pooled estimate of 7.2% (Thomas et al. 2015). The US Census Bureau estimates 1,795,734,009 people were aged 5-19 worldwide in 2013. Thus, 7.2% of this total population is 129 million—a rough estimate of the number of children worldwide who have ADHD.
Based on DSM-IV screening of 11,422 adults for ADHD in 10 countries in the Americas, Europe and the Middle East, the estimates of worldwide adult ADHD prevalence averaged 3.4% (Fayyad et al. 2007)
UNITED STATES
Children & Adolescents
Bitsko et al analyzed ADHD prevalence from data collected by parent-reported 2016-2019 National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH). Since the sampling frame and data collection methods have been modified as of 2016, the estimates from the previous surveys and the redesigned surveys cannot be compared to each other.
Of children aged 3-17,
- Approximately 6 million children (9.8 percent) ever been diagnosed with ADHD
- Ages 3-5: 2.2 percent in this age group
- Ages 6-11: 10.0 percent
- Ages 12-17: 13.2 percent
- By race/ethnicity ever been diagnosed with ADHD:
- 7.5 percent Hispanic
- 12.0 percent Black, non-Hispanic
- 10.9 percent White, non-Hispanic
- 2.6 percent Asian, non-Hispanic
- By geographic classification ever been diagnosed with ADHD:
- 9.5 percent urban/suburban
- 12.0 percent rural
- Approximately 5.3 million children (8.7 percent) have a current diagnosis of ADHD:
- Ages 3-5: 2.0 percent
- Ages 6-11: 9.3 percent
- Ages 12-17: 11.5 percent
- By race/ethnicity have a current diagnosis of ADHD:
- 6.6 percent Hispanic
- 10.5 percent Black, non-Hispanic
- 9.9 percent White, non-Hispanic
- 2.2 percent Asian, non-Hispanic
- By geographic classification have a current diagnosis of ADHD:
- 8.4 percent urban/suburban
- 10.7 percent rural
The 2017-2018 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) is another parent-reported survey Bitsko et al evaluated to determine ADHD diagnosis prevalence. Past surveys looked at aged 4-17; 2017-2018 looks at children aged 3-17.
