Prevalence and Psychosocial Factors Associated With Attention-deficit/hyperactivity Disorder Among Patients at the Child Psychiatry Clinic at Kenyatta National Hospital

Abstract

Background: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), one of childhood's most prevalent neurodevelopmental psychological disorders, often starts in childhood but is typically diagnosed at school age and may last into adulthood. It is characterised by pervasive and hindering inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity symptoms. It is the product of a complex interaction between genetic, environmental, and developmental factors. Children who have ADHD often suffer from serious negative outcomes, including family conflicts, injuries, academic underachievement, and low self-esteem. According to a recent CDC survey, 6.8% of children globally between the ages of 3 and 17 have ADHD. Africa continues to have few studies exploring this conndition. The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of ADHD subtypes and the psychosocial factors associated with it among KNH youth clinic patients. Study Objective: To determine the prevalence of ADHD subtypes and the psychosocial factors associated with ADHD symptoms among patients at the child psychiatry clinic at KNH. Methods: This analytical cross-sectional study was conducted at the Child Psychiatry Clinic,

KNH. Data collection was via a structured sociodemographic questionnaire and the KSADSPL questionnaire. The collected data was verified, coded and uploaded into a passwordprotected Microsoft Excel sheet for cleaning. Microsoft Excel and SPSS version 26.0 were used to compute the demographic variables and the descriptive statistics of the population. Data was presented in the form of graphs, charts, tables and narratives. Statistical significance was considered when the p-value < 0.05

Results: A total of 83 children (73.5% male, 26.5% female), aged between 3 and 17 years (mean age = 6.22 ± 3.18), participated in the study. 44.6% of participants had a diagnosis of mainly inattentive subtype of ADHD, while 20.5% were diagnosed with predominantly hyperactive-impulsive subtype. Sociodemographic, psychosocial and clinical characteristics were examined in relation to inattentive and hyperactivity/impulsivity domain scores. Results revealed significant associations between inattentive domain scores and relationships in the family and neighbourhood. Additionally, relationship with the mother and prematurity were associated with hyperactivity/impulsivity scores. Conclusion: These findings underscore the importance of considering social contextual factors in understanding the variability in symptomatology among children with ADHD. The study highlights the complex interplay between sociodemographic, psychosocial and clinical factors and ADHD symptomatology, emphasizing the need for tailored interventions that address the unique needs of children from diverse familial and socioeconomic backgrounds