Socio-Demographic and Clinical Profiles of Adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Patients in a University Hospital in Oman

Abstract

Objectives: Although attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is typically considered a condition affecting children, there is evidence that children diagnosed with ADHD continue to suffer from this condition after the age of 18. This study aimed to describe the socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of adult ADHD patients in Oman and evaluate their association with the disorder’s different subtypes. Methods: This retrospective study included adult patients with ADHD from the outpatient clinic at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman. Data from medical records from January 2018 to April 2020 were collected. Socio-demographic characteristics, clinical profiles and psychiatric comorbidities were examined. Results: This study included 100 adults who fulfilled the standard diagnosis of ADHD, with 54.0% (n = 54) and 46.0% (n = 46) from the inattentive and combined subtypes, respectively. It was found that ADHD was more prevalent among males (64.0%) than females (36.0%), with the inattentive subtype being more predominant among females. The ADHD patients with the inattentive subtype were associated with comorbid substance use disorders (odds ratio [OR] = 11.29; P = 0.049), personality disorders (OR = 7.96; P = 0.017) and major depressive disorder (OR = 15.94; P = 0.002) compared to patients predominantly with the combined subtype. Conclusion: This study echoes the findings from the current literature that adult patients with ADHD commonly have comorbid psychiatric disorders, leading to significant functional impairment. Psychiatric comorbidities must be identified and urgently treated for better clinical and functional outcomes in adult patients with ADHD.

Keywords: Neurodevelopmental Disorder; Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder; Adult; Comorbidity; Psychiatry; Oman.