Prevalence of ADHD in primary school children in Vinh Long, Vietnam

OBJECTIVE: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is the most common behavioral disorder in children. It affects not only the subjects but also their families and society. The purpose of this study is to determine the prevalence of ADHD in primary school children in the South of Vietnam, especially Vinh Long province. METHOD: Children were chosen randomly from primary schools in Vinh Long during 2 months from February to March in 2009 in a cross-sectional study to determine the prevalence of ADHD by using ADHD Rating Scale-IV for parents/caregivers and teachers. ADHD Rating Scale-IV was based on DSM-IV for diagnosis of ADHD. RESULTS: 600 children were chosen and 1200 reports were collected from parents/caregivers and teachers. The prevalence rate of ADHD was 7.7%. The rate of the predominantly inattentive type, predominantly hyperactive type and combined type were 1.7%, 5% and 1% respectively. The difference in genders was not significant across all subtypes. The prevalence of ADHD in urban children was 2.2 times more than that in rural children. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of ADHD in primary school children in Vinh Long of southern Vietnam is in the same range as other regions in the world. Therefore, the concern of ADHD needs to be arisen in community to have more implications for children's psychiatric care. Language: en