Hopkins M, Herrerias CT, Stein M, Homer C; Academy for Health Services Research and Health Policy. Meeting.

Abstr Acad Health Serv Res Health Policy Meet. 2001; 18: 19.

University of Texas at Dallas, Southwest Medical Center, c/o Anerican Academy of Pediatrics, 141 Northwest Point Blvd, Elk Grove Village, Illinois 60007, Phone: (847) 434-4317, Fax: (847) 952-4317, E-mail: achopkins@prodigy.net

RESEARCH OBJECTIVE: To gather national data from primary care physicians regarding attitudes and beliefs about the management of ADHD in school aged children.STUDY DESIGN: This sampled surveyed 2000 primary care pediatricians and family physicians. Random samples were generated from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Acadmey of Family Physicians membership files. The survey involved four mailings with one reiminder postcard. There was a total 54% (1076 returned surveys) response rate of 905 (84%) meeting data quality criteria.POPULATION STUDIED: The sample was limited to physicians who, by self-report, were full-time, primary care pediatricians and office-based family physicians whose practice involves pediatrics. For both groups, geographic distribution was limited to the United States.PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Primary care physicians were asked if they felt adequately trained to evaluate and/or treat children with uncomplicated ADHD (ADHD without a co-existing condition) and/or children with ADHD with a co-existing condition. The findings showed that 63% of physicians reported feeling adequately trained to evaluate children for uncomplicated ADHD; however, only 34% reported feeling adequately trained to evaluate children for ADHD with a co-existing condition. Seventy-two percent (72%) of physicians reported feeling adequately trained to treat children with uncomplicated ADHD. However, only 25% reported feeling adequately trained to teat children with complicated ADHD.When stratified by levels of experience (based on the number of new evaluations conducted per month), of the more experienced physicians, 82% felt adequately trained to evaluate children for uncomplicated ADHD; however, only 52% felt adequately trained to evaluate children for ADHD with a co-existing condition. Eighty-nine percent of experienced physicians felt adequately trained to treat children with uncomplicated ADHD, but only 41% felt adequately trained to treat children with ADHD and a co-existing condition. Finally, a total of 54% of physicians agreed that ADHD is over-diagnosed in the US. Even when stratified by level of experience, 49% of the most experienced physicians agreed that ADHD is over-diagnosed in the United States.CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that even though primary care physicians care for the majority of school age children diagnosed with ADHD, a significant percentage of these physicians feel inadequately trained to evaluate and treat children with ADHD, especially when thre is a co-existing condition present. In addition, these data suggest that a significant percentage of the ore experienced physicians (based on the number of new evaluations per month) also feel inadequately trained to diagnose and treat children with ADHD, especially with a co-existing condition present. Finally, a significant percentage of physicians agree that ADHD is over-diagnosed in the US, even when stratified by level of experience.IMPLICATIONS FOR POLICY, DELIVERY, OR PRACTICE: Increased efforts are needed to ensure that pediatricians and family physicians are given the necessary tols to appropriately evaluate and treat children with ADHD, especially those with co-existing conditions. Efforts are underway to provide primary care clinicians with the tools to aid in the evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of children with ADHD.PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE: American Academy of Pediatrics

Publication Types:

• Meeting Abstracts

Keywords:

• Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity
• Attitude
• Attitude of Health Personnel
• Child
• Clinical Competence
• Culture
• Data Collection
• Humans
• Pediatrics
• Physicians, Family
• Primary Health Care
• United States
• education
• hsrmtgs

Other ID:

• GWHSR0001406

UI: 102273081

From Meeting Abstracts