Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2003 Dec;42(12):1415-23.
doi: 10.1097/00004583-200312000-00008.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: increased costs for patients and their families

Andrine R Swensen  1 , Howard G Birnbaum, Kristina Secnik, Maryna Marynchenko, Paul Greenberg, Ami Claxton
Affiliations

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: increased costs for patients and their families

Andrine R Swensen et al. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2003 Dec.

Abstract

Objective: To estimate the direct (medical and prescription drug) and indirect (work loss) costs of children treated for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and their family members.

Method: The data source was an administrative database from a national, Fortune 100 manufacturer that included all medical, pharmaceutical, and disability claims for beneficiaries (n > 100,000). The analysis involved four samples. The ADHD patient sample included individuals age 18 or younger with at least one ADHD claim during the study period (1996-1998). Resource utilization of ADHD patients was contrasted with a matched control sample of patients who did not have claims for ADHD. The ADHD and non-ADHD family samples included non-ADHD family members of ADHD patients and their matched controls.

Results: The annual average expenditure (direct cost) per ADHD patient was $1,574, compared to $541 among matched controls. The annual average payment (direct plus indirect cost) per family member was $2,728 for non-ADHD family members of ADHD patients versus $1,440 for family members of matched controls. Both patient and family cost differences were significant at the 95% confidence level.

Conclusions: ADHD imposes a significant financial burden regarding the cost of medical care and work loss for patients and family members.

PubMed Disclaimer

Publication types