The Impact of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder on the Health of America’s Children

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the second most impactful condition affecting children’s health in the U.S. It accounts for 16% of the impact all health conditions have on Generation Z (0-19 years old) as measured by the Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) Health Index.¹ Children diagnosed with ADHD struggle with paying attention, controlling impulses and being overly active.²

In 2017, about 2.4 million commercially insured American children were diagnosed with ADHD, climbing more than 30% over the past eight years.³ ADHD is most prevalent among middle school-aged children (11-13 years old), and boys are diagnosed about twice as often as girls. With ADHD diagnoses on the rise, it is crucial to better understand the impact of this condition on the health of American children.

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ENDNOTES

1. Based on 2017 data from the BCBS Health Index unless otherwise specified. For more information, visit the BCBS Health Index.
2. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), ADHD is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders of childhood. Read more at CDC.gov.
3. Total patient count was extrapolated from the study population to the commercially insured population of American children (2-18 years old) in 2017.