Real-life instability in ADHD from young to middle adulthood: a nationwide register-based study of social and occupational problems
Real-life instability in ADHD from young to middle adulthood: a nationwide register-based study of social and occupational problems
Background: studies using self-reports indicate that individuals with ADHD are at increased risk for functional impairments in social and occupational settings, but evidence around real-life instability remains limited. It is furthermore unclear if these functional impairments in ADHD differ across sex and across the adult lifespan.
Method: a longitudinal observational cohort design of 3,448,440 individuals was used to study the associations between ADHD and residential moves, relational instability and job shifting using data from Swedish national registers. Data were stratified on sex and age (18–29 years, 30–39 years, and 40–52 years at start of follow up).
Results: 31,081 individuals (17,088 males; 13,993 females) in the total cohort had an ADHD-diagnosis. Individuals with ADHD had an increased incidence rate ratio (IRR) of residential moves (IRR 2.35 [95% CI, 2.32–2.37]), relational instability (IRR = 1.07 [95% CI, 1.06–1.08]) and job shifting (IRR = 1.03 [95% CI, 1.02–1.04]). These associations tended to increase with increasing age. The strongest associations were found in the oldest group (40–52 years at start of follow). Women with ADHD in all three age groups had a higher rate of relational instability compared to men with ADHD.
Conclusion: both men and women with a diagnosis of ADHD present with an increased risk of real-life instability in different domains and this behavioral pattern was not limited to young adulthood but also existed well into older adulthood. It is therefore important to have a lifespan perspective on ADHD for individuals, relatives, and the health care sector.
Ahlberg, Rickard
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Du Rietz, E.
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Ahnemark, E.
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Andersson, L.M.
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Werner-Kiechle, T.
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Lichtenstein, P.
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Larsson, H.
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Garcia-Argibay, M.
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12 May 2023
Ahlberg, Rickard
69b097f7-e31a-49d3-88ec-e719888cee94
Du Rietz, E.
34c90185-a596-42c2-8e67-f9c6a4669847
Ahnemark, E.
85d7b9b4-a443-4ee3-9eea-b876a1261736
Andersson, L.M.
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Werner-Kiechle, T.
de2319a3-93d8-4a32-9c51-8ea14b095ab6
Lichtenstein, P.
3851c18d-9114-4714-937d-d9a26b427774
Larsson, H.
608860cb-3211-441b-90fd-3fe36f375256
Garcia-Argibay, M.
e5a6941e-4dcc-401a-9de4-09557c8856ef
Ahlberg, Rickard, Du Rietz, E., Ahnemark, E., Andersson, L.M., Werner-Kiechle, T., Lichtenstein, P., Larsson, H. and Garcia-Argibay, M.
(2023)
Real-life instability in ADHD from young to middle adulthood: a nationwide register-based study of social and occupational problems.
BMC Psychiatry, 23, [336].
(doi:10.1186/S12888-023-04713-Z).
Abstract
Background: studies using self-reports indicate that individuals with ADHD are at increased risk for functional impairments in social and occupational settings, but evidence around real-life instability remains limited. It is furthermore unclear if these functional impairments in ADHD differ across sex and across the adult lifespan.
Method: a longitudinal observational cohort design of 3,448,440 individuals was used to study the associations between ADHD and residential moves, relational instability and job shifting using data from Swedish national registers. Data were stratified on sex and age (18–29 years, 30–39 years, and 40–52 years at start of follow up).
Results: 31,081 individuals (17,088 males; 13,993 females) in the total cohort had an ADHD-diagnosis. Individuals with ADHD had an increased incidence rate ratio (IRR) of residential moves (IRR 2.35 [95% CI, 2.32–2.37]), relational instability (IRR = 1.07 [95% CI, 1.06–1.08]) and job shifting (IRR = 1.03 [95% CI, 1.02–1.04]). These associations tended to increase with increasing age. The strongest associations were found in the oldest group (40–52 years at start of follow). Women with ADHD in all three age groups had a higher rate of relational instability compared to men with ADHD.
Conclusion: both men and women with a diagnosis of ADHD present with an increased risk of real-life instability in different domains and this behavioral pattern was not limited to young adulthood but also existed well into older adulthood. It is therefore important to have a lifespan perspective on ADHD for individuals, relatives, and the health care sector.
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s12888-023-04713-z (1)
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Accepted/In Press date: 23 March 2023
Published date: 12 May 2023
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Local EPrints ID: 493358
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/493358
ISSN: 1471-244X
PURE UUID: 81af5715-7ccc-474a-b7b7-74f0fbc21f78
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Date deposited: 30 Aug 2024 16:35
Last modified: 31 Aug 2024 02:12
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Author:
Rickard Ahlberg
Author:
E. Du Rietz
Author:
E. Ahnemark
Author:
L.M. Andersson
Author:
T. Werner-Kiechle
Author:
P. Lichtenstein
Author:
H. Larsson
Author:
M. Garcia-Argibay
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