Prevalence of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder among Primary School Children in Hyderabad, South India

Purpose: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is among the most prevalent neurodevelopmental disorders in childhood, and its incidence has increased in recent years. However, the frequency of ADHD varies significantly across different countries and regions. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of ADHD among primary school children in Hyderabad, India, as well as to raise awareness about ADHD among teachers.Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study included 700 school-aged children between 5 and 12 years old, selected according to specific inclusion and exclusion criteria. The teachers' version of the Vanderbilt Assessment Scale, a rating scale grounded in Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) diagnostic criteria, was employed to diagnose ADHD. Results: The prevalence of ADHD in this study was 9.57% (67 out of 700), with a mean age of 8.9 years. ADHD was more prevalent in boys than in girls, with a sex ratio of 3:1. The combined type of ADHD was the most common (52.3%), followed by the attention deficit type (29.8%) and the hyperactive-impulsive type (17.9%). Conclusion: The prevalence of ADHD among schoolchildren in middle-income countries, such as India, is sufficiently high to impose a significant societal burden. Therefore, it is imperative that all elementary school teachers receive training on how to screen for indicators of ADHD.