In some parts of the world, the number of girls diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder is surpassing that of boys, according to new research — a trend not yet seen in the United States.
In the study, published Wednesday in JAMA, researchers found ADHD diagnoses in post-pandemic years among female adolescents and young adults in British Columbia, Canada, surpassed same-aged males for the first time on record. High school-aged adolescents were defined as ages 13 to 17 and young adults as 18 to 29.
The study analyzed British Columbia health data from more than 2.7 million patients aged 3 to 29 from 2003 to 2023.
The authors offer several explanations for the increases, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Pandemic-related stressors may have further intensified ADHD symptoms and facilitated the identification of previously unmet needs, with female adolescents and young adults potentially being more vulnerable to social disruptions than males," the authors write.
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Researchers found ADHD diagnoses in post-pandemic years among female adolescents and young adults in British Columbia, Canada, surpassed same-aged males for the first time on record.
Around the same time, changes were also made to the DSM-5, a reference used to classify and diagnose mental health conditions in the U.S. and Canada.
Dr. Victor Fornari, vice chair for child and adolescent psychiatry at Northwell Health's Zucker Hillside Hospital and Cohen Children's Medical Center in New York, explained the DSM-5 changes broadened the diagnostic category to include those who have "some interference in their functioning as well as a later onset."
"Prior to DSM-5, the disorder really required a much more stringent criteria, making it more difficult to give the full diagnosis," Fornari, who was not involved in the research, told USA TODAY.
Greater awareness may have also played a role.
"Increasing public and clinical awareness of ADHD may have contributed to greater recognition and help-seeking," the authors wrote.
However, Fornari said it's hard to say whether the U.S. will see a similar trend.
"The current rates in the U.S. suggest ADHD is significantly more common in boys than in girls — often three times more common in boys than in girls," he explained. "It is difficult to know whether we will see a similar increase in the rates in girls as was reported in the study."
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, boys are more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than girls, at about 15% versus 8%, among children aged 3 to 17. Men also exceed women in adult ADHD diagnosis data in the U.S.
