The Experience of Adults With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in 2021 During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Background: This study surveyed adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on aspects of their disorder, quality of life, and treatment experience. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of US-resident members of PatientsLikeMe (PLM) was conducted through the PLM health tracking platform between March 10 and April 2, 2021. Adult participants with self-reported ADHD currently taking prescription medication (treated) and those not taking medication (untreated) were enrolled. Results:The study included 93 adults, of whom 48 patients were taking medication for ADHD. Most of the 45 untreated patients were not taking medication for reasons unrelated to the pandemic. Of the 47 treated patients who also completed the survey, 22 patients had ≥ 1 switch in ADHD medication type, and nearly half had a dosage change during the pandemic. Further, 29 treated patients reported a negative impact of the pandemic on their daily ADHD medication routine, primarily due to a "lack of schedule" and "changes to structured routine, " and 16 patients reported "increased difficulty" adhering to prescribed ADHD medication during the pandemic compared with before the pandemic. Of the total study population, 52 patients reported having a telehealth visit during the pandemic, and 38 patients had an ADHD management goal. All but 1 patient with an ADHD management goal reported a negative impact of the pandemic on progress toward their goal. More treated patients than untreated adults reported having control over bothersome ADHD symptoms. Conclusions: Adults with ADHD reported increased difficulty in managing their symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Investigating self-reported compensation strategies for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder on Reddit: An analysis of user content from 2012-2023 with a focus on trends during COVID-19 (Preprint)

“…For the scope of this investigation, we defined this timeframe as spanning from March 2020, when the World Health Organization declared a global outbreak, to May 2022, when the majority of countries had lifted all COVID restrictions. This period was marked by pronounced socioenvironmental risk factors (e.g., lockdowns and barriers to care pathways), alongside disruptions to daily life routines and structure [32,33]. These circumstances could have increased tendencies to adopt compensation strategies and heightened help-seeking on r/ ADHD; in this regard, other findings from r/ADHD illustrated distinctive stressors during COVID-19, detecting negative semantic changes and increases in health anxiety themes [34].…”

“…Socioenvironmental determinants in the COVID-19 pandemic likely influenced these patterns, increasing user preferences to seek different strategies and practices online. For example, lockdowns, social isolation, and a lack of routine and structure created concomitant stressors for individuals with ADHD [32][33][34]. These circumstances could have conceivably prompted users to rely more on r/ADHD as an information resource, thereby amplifying the volume of content on this platform.…”