CDC Funds Two Research Institutions to Conduct Population-Based Research on ADHD in Children

Because of increasing concern and awareness among health professionals and the public alike, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDDD) has awarded two cooperative agreements, to the University of South Carolina (principal investigator, Robert E. McKeown, PhD) and the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center (principal investigator, Mark L. Wolraich, MD), to conduct population-based research on Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) among school-aged children. The result of this collaboration will be one of the largest community-based, epidemiologic studies of ADHD in the United States.

Recognizing that many uncertainties remain concerning prevalence, etiology and treatment patterns of ADHD, this research will shed light on: (1) the prevalence and treated prevalence of ADHD in children, (2) the existence of comorbid and secondary conditions in children with ADHD, (3) the types and rates of health risk behaviors in children with ADHD, and (4) current and previous treatment patterns of children with ADHD. This data collection will provide sorely needed epidemiologic data on ADHD and information critical to understanding the magnitude of the disorder, the expression of ADHD in diverse population groups, the receipt and quality of community care, and factors associated with differential outcomes in children with the disorder. The studies are a result of a joint collaboration between NCBDDD and the three grantee research teams. 

Study findings will not only enhance our understanding of ADHD in children, but will also increase our ability to make the most informed decisions and recommendations concerning potential public health prevention and intervention strategies. 

For more information on the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention see www.cdc.gov/ncbddd and www.cdc.gov, respectively.

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