New Tool to Reduce ADHD Stigma Launched

[Andrew]

September 29, 2003 07:55 AM US Eastern Timezone

New Tool to Reduce ADHD Stigma Launched; International Guidelines Aid Efforts to Address Emotional and Behavioral Disorders of Children through World Mental Health Day

PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 29, 2003--The World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH) today launched new international guidelines to help combat misperceptions about one of the most common emotional and behavioral disorders in childhood, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

WFMH Chief Executive Officer Preston J. Garrison launched the guidelines at a workshop of international journalists in Paris. The guidelines were developed as a part of WFMH's World Mental Health Day observance on October 10, which this year focuses on the emotional and behavioral disorders of children and adolescents.

Identified by the World Health Organization as a priority area of concern,(1) ADHD affects between three and seven percent of children,(2) and approximately four percent of adults,(3) with the potential for serious long-term consequences in personal relationships and educational outcomes.

The guidelines provide comprehensive scientific information about the believed prevalence, causes and impacts of ADHD, and highlight a number of areas in which commonly held misperceptions about the disorder stigmatize those who have been diagnosed with it.

"As a credible source of information, the media have a role to play in accurately portraying ADHD, reducing stigma and encouraging the understanding of the disorder in their communities," said Garrison. "When stigma is associated with a disorder, many people do not receive the treatment they deserve and need in order to lead normal, healthy lives."

"There are many common misperceptions about ADHD among the public -- anything from believing that ADHD is just a symptom of a busy lifestyle to that it's an excuse for lazy parenting. Too often, the disorder is portrayed in only a negative light by the media," Garrison continued. "We developed these guidelines so that journalists can be more aware of the facts about ADHD. The power of the media is immense, shaping the opinions of not only the general public, but also of health care professionals and public servants."

The reporting guidelines were developed for use by both consumer media and medical press to enhance the general knowledge about ADHD not only among the public, but also among health care professionals whose patients may have ADHD.

"Varying levels of understanding and acceptance of ADHD throughout the world,(4) make it more difficult for individuals with ADHD, and their families, to obtain the right information," said Leo de Graaf, president of Mental Health Europe, a member organization of the WFMH. "We are hopeful that by providing journalists with this tool, which offers factual information and resources for additional research, the challenges that people with ADHD face can be lessened as their communities grow to understand the facts behind the disorder."

A biological, brain-based disorder thought to be due to an imbalance of some of the brain's neurotransmitters,(5) ADHD impacts all aspects of a person's life. If not treated correctly, adolescents with ADHD are more likely to drop out of school, rarely complete college, have fewer friends and participate in fewer social activities.(6) For the 60 percent of children whose symptoms persist into adulthood,(7) job performance problems and relationship issues are likely.(8)

Knut Bronder, Assistant Secretary General of advocacy group The Norwegian ADHD Foundation, welcomed the launch of the guidelines as a positive step to help shape community attitudes. Both Bronder and one of his children have been diagnosed with the disorder.

"Although growing up with ADHD is easier for my children than it was for me, there is still a distinct lack of understanding of the condition in our community. This ignorance can not only be really hurtful to a child, but can also negatively impact their life choices. When there is acceptance and knowledge within the families and the surrounding areas, not only of the disorder but the decision to take medication to control it, the difference can be amazing, particularly for a child," Mr. Bronder said.

Notes to Editors

-- ADHD: The Hope Behind the Hype - International Media Reporting Guidelines were developed by the World Federation for Mental Health with the support of an unrestricted grant from Eli Lilly and Company.

-- The guidelines are available at the World Federation for Mental Health's website: www.wfmh.org

References

1. The World Health Organization (WHO) Department of Mental Health and Substance Dependence. Caring for Children and Adolescents with Mental Disorders: Setting WHO Directions. Geneva, 2003

2. American Psychiatric Association. Diagnosis and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition. Washington DC, American Psychiatric Association, 1994

3. Murphy K, Barkley RA. Prevalence of DSM-IV symptoms of ADHD in adult licensed drivers: implications for clinical diagnosis. J Attn Disorders. 1996; 1(3): 147-161

4. Taylor E, Sergeant J, et al. Clinical guidelines for hyperkinetic disorder. Eur Child & Adoles Psych. 1988; 7:184-200

5. Green C, Chee K. Understanding ADHD - A Parent's Guide to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Children. Vermillion Publishing 1997 ISBN 0 009 181700 5

6. Barkley RA, Fischer M et al. The adolescent outcome of hyperactive children diagnosed by research criteria I. An 8-year prospective follow-up study. J Am Ac Ch & Adoles Psych. 1990; 29:546-557

7. American Psychiatric Association. DSM-IV Text Revision. 2000; 85-93

8. Murphy K, Barkley RA. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder adults: comorbidities and adaptive impairments. Comp Psych, 1996 (Nov - Dec) 37(6); 393-401

Contacts

Cohn & Wolfe
Melissa Millard, + 44 7990 818 039
Lucy Whitehead, + 44 20 7331 5315

[waywardclam]

It does the heart good to see change like this happening...

But it is such a small step, on such a long journey...

[joanrdtobe]

Interesting, I didn't know there was a World Mental Health Day...

ADD affects 3-7% of children and
4% of adults.....(those 4% of adults likely HAD it as children...they were just diagnosed as adults...)

Paul: True, a small step....but I like the quote:

"The journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step".

Who is the Author?

[BenFoldsNerd]

Originally Posted by joanrdtobe

ADD affects 3-7% of children and
4% of adults.....(those 4% of adults likely HAD it as children...they were just diagnosed as adults...)

I agree! I firmly believe that the percentage of children and adults that have ADD are the same, but that fewer adults are diagnosed because adults are much more cabable of managing their symptoms, and because many are misinformed and think it couldn't be them, because only hyperactive little boys have it, right?

[Stabile]

These percentages seem low because they reflect the worldwide averages. The USA leads the rest of the world in diagnosis and treatment of AD/HD.

The epidemiological picture of the last twenty or thirty years is further confused by emergence of the underlying causes coincident with the improvement in recognition and diagnosis.

This double whammy is what makes the increasing rate of diagnosis here in the USA seem suspiciously steep. That in turn lends fuel to some of the mistaken ideas that the WFMH guidelines are intended to dispel.

When we took a hard look at the stats a few years ago, we could see the effect of two influences quite clearly. It's similar (but far less compressed) to the way that the statistics of HIV and AIDS erupted as the initial spread of both the bug and the knowledge of its existence resulted in a sudden alarming proliferation of diagnoses.

They still have it pegged as a disorder, though. I wish they would restrict the term to purely clinical use, and come up with a new way to describe it in casual language.

People take it so literally, and we believe that has the most damaging impact of all the potentially discriminatory ways that people (including especially us) think about AD/HD.

Oh well. Like Paul says, one step at a time. Thanks for posting that, Big.

[Kathi]

Thanks for posting that article! Maybe now, people will get a better understanding of the disorder and quit treating it like a desease...

[-Nick-]

Lao-tzu. I think it was Lao-tzu.