People with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may have life expectancies up to 11 years shorter than those without the condition, a study suggests.
The number of people diagnosed with the condition – which can cause trouble concentrating and restlessness – has increased dramatically in recent years.
Researchers at UCL reviewed data from more than 30,000 UK sufferers and compared them with 300,000 people who did not have ADHD.
Life expectancy for those with the condition was between 4.5 and nine years shorter for men, and between 6.5 and 11 years shorter for women.
Senior author Professor Josh Stott, of UCL Psychology & Language Sciences, said: “It is deeply concerning that some adults with diagnosed ADHD are living shorter lives than they should.
“People with ADHD have many strengths and can thrive with the right support and treatment.
“However, they often lack support and are more likely to experience stressful life events and social exclusion, negatively impacting their health and self-esteem.”
People with ADHD experience differences in the way they focus attention, which can lead to struggles with planning, time management and impulsiveness.
This can make it harder for them to succeed at school or work, and the condition is thought to be under-treated in the UK.
The study also found that fewer than one in nine adults with ADHD had been diagnosed – meaning that only a fraction of the total population of adults with ADHD could be studied.
Researchers noted that this under-diagnosis may mean their study overestimated the reduction in life expectancy.
Lead author Dr Liz O’Nions, also from UCL, added: “Only a small percentage of adults with ADHD have been diagnosed, meaning this study covers just a segment of the entire community.
“More of those who are diagnosed may have additional health problems compared to the average person with ADHD. Therefore, our research may overestimate the life expectancy gap for people with ADHD overall, though more community-based research is needed to test whether this is the case.”
The findings were published in The British Journal of Psychiatry.
