Prevalence of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in children, adolescents and adults in the Middle East and North Africa region: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

ObjectivesTo systematically estimate the overall prevalence of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children, adolescents and adults across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.DesignSystematic review and meta-analysis conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) statement.Data sourcesMedline and Scopus databases were comprehensively and systematically searched between 1990 and February 2023.Eligibility criteria for selecting studiesWe included all cross-sectional or cohort studies that diagnosed ADHD using validated diagnostic tools (eg, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition criteria, ADHD rating scales and ADHD diagnostic interview) or non-validated tools (eg, brain imaging techniques, computerised cognitive tests and quantitative electroencephalography).Data extraction and synthesisTwo reviewers performed the data extraction independently using standardised data collection sheet. Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used to assess the quality of the included studies. Individualised and pooled event rate and upper and lower limit at 95% CI were calculated according to the ADHD cases and the total sample size using a random-effect model. The subgroup prevalence analyses according to ADHD subtypes, gender, MENA country and age were also performed.ResultsA total of 63 articles met the inclusion criteria involving 849 902 participants. The overall prevalence of ADHD was 10.3% (95% CI 0.081 to 0.129). The prevalence rate ranged from 1.3% (Yemen) to 22.2% (Iran). Subgroup analyses showed that the prevalence in adults was 13.5 and 10.1 in children and adolescents. Males exhibited significantly higher prevalence compared with females as these were 11.1% and 7%, respectively. Attention-deficit subtype was significantly the most prevalent (46.7%) compared with hyperactivity/impulsivity (33.7%) and combined types (20.6%).ConclusionThe overall prevalence of ADHD was high in the MENA region. It is crucial to allocate more attention and resources towards the prevention and treatment of ADHD in children, adolescents and adults within the region.

Exploring the Links between Physical Activity, Emotional Regulation, and Mental Well-Being in Jordanian University Students

“…Overall, participants showed high levels of mental health symptoms, which is consistent with emerging data of student cohorts across disciplines and departments [40]. The prevalence rates of anxiety, depression, and stress in our study align with the average prevalence rate from a previous report that showed that college students have a moderate level of depression and stress and a severe level of anxiety [40][41][42]. In the current study, anxiety was significantly correlated with the expressive suppression ER strategy.…”

The pooled prevalence of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder among children and adolescents in Ethiopia: A systematic review and meta-analysis

“…Globally, the prevalence of ADHD among children and adolescents raged from 5.29% to 8.0% [ 8 , 49 – 51 ]. Moreover, according to the systematic review and meta-analysis conducted in the different parts of the continents, the prevalence of ADHD among children and adolescents was found to be 2.9% in Europe [ 52 ], 10.90% in America [ 44 ], 5.9% in Arab Gulf [ 53 ], 10.3% in the Middle East and North Africa [ 54 ] and 5.4% to 8.7% in Africa [ 55 , 56 ]. This shows that a large number of children and adolescents remain affected by ADHD and are facing difficulties associated with the disorder.…”