[Hyperkinetic disorders in children and adolescents in Germany: administrative prevalence and regional differences regarding the frequency of diagnosis assignment]

Abstract

Objective: To analyse the administrative prevalence and regional differences in hyperkinetic disorder (HK) diagnoses in Germany.

Methods: The administrative prevalence of HK (ICD-10 F90) was analysed for 3,6 million children, up to 18 years old and in the whole year 2009 insured by the AOK, using health insurance data. Additionally, administrative prevalence changes between 2006 and 2008 were investigated. The prevalence analyses were differenciated according to postal code areas and regions of the associations of statutory health insurance physicians (SHIP-regions).

Results: The analyses revealed a continous increase of the administrative HK-prevalence between 2006 (2,8 %) and 2009 (3,8 %). The administrative prevalence was notably lower in the city states Bremen, Hamburg and Berlin, but rather high in four of five SHIP-regions in the New Laender. 14 % of children with HK were diagnosed with HK and ICD-10 F98.8. In 47 % these different diagnoses had been coded by different physicians.

Conclusions: Regional differences in administrative prevalence rates and discrepancies in diagnosis coding by different physicians may indicate uncertainties regarding HK-diagnosis in routine health care. Future studies should analyse these associations more detailed.