(MENAFNEditorial) New research shows that medication used to treat ADHD in adult men can save lives on the road.
According to a large registry study conducted by the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, up to half of transport accidents involving men with ADHD could be avoided if the men were taking medication for their condition
The UAE Ministry of Health itself has been looking at exactly this topic as a priority target in research, stating that: "Health departments need to provide additional information on the psychological profiles/knowledge attitudes and practices of drivers, pre/post intervention studies, and impact studies. Adult ADHD is common in the UAE, and needs to be explored further." (http://www.moh.gov.ae/Documents/Downloads/Statistics/NPHR%20Workshop.pdf)
ADHD specialist Doctor Jutta Marquardt of Dubai's German Neuroscience Centre says the number of children between the ages of 6 to 18 diagnosed ADHD is estimated to be 6 to 10%.
"People often make the mistake that attention deficit disorder is only a childhood disease, but 30% of child patients will continue to show ADHD symptoms into adulthood, often with a decreased symptomatology, but accompanied by other psychiatric disorders such as depression, anxiety, personality disorders and addictions," she says. "Even though many people with ADHD are doing well; left untreated, ADHD in adults can have severe consequences, as this research shows."
The researchers studied 17,000 individuals with ADHD over a period of four years (2006-2009) using various population health' registers. They were then able to analyse the risk of transport accidents for individuals diagnosed with ADHD and how ADHD medication influences this risk. In line with previous research in this area, the results from the current study demonstrate that individuals with ADHD have an approximately 45 per cent increased risk of being involved in serious transport accidents, such as car or motorcycle accidents, compared to individuals without ADHD
The study also demonstrates in several different ways that the risk of transport accidents in adult men with ADHD decreases markedly if their condition is treated with medication
To begin with, the incidence of transport accidents was lower among men with ADHD who received medication than among men with ADHD who did not. When the men were compared to themselves, i.e. during periods with and without ADHD medication, the researchers were able to establish that pharmaceutical treatment involved a significantly lower risk of transport accidents; during the periods of ADHD medication the risk was 58 per cent lower. Comparing the individuals to themselves is one of the study's strengths as it demonstrates that the connection between medication and decreased accident risk is probably not due to differences between individuals
Further statistical calculations showed that 41 per cent of the transport accidents involving men with ADHD could have been avoided if they had received medication for the entire follow-up period. This study, which has now been published, does not explain the specific mechanisms behind the effect of ADHD medication on accident risk. However, the researchers believe that the results may be explained by ADHD medication having an effect on the core symptoms of ADHD such as impulsiveness and distractibility, which in turn reduces the risk of getting into trouble on the road
Doctor Marquardt says the first thing people with ADHD, people who had it as children or people or suspect they may have, should do is seek help so a professional diagnosis can be made
"As well as medication, concentration, conflict management and self-organization are trainable. Relaxation exercises such as muscle relaxation by Jacobsen might be helpful. Structuring daily life and self-organisation can be trained and all these things can help people to have a better life and of course, will make for a safer driving experience.
"After therapy nearly all patients report about a complete change in their life with a satisfying relationship and successfulness in their job.
For more media information please contact Michael Campbell at IHC for German Neuroscience Centre on +971 56 7416533 or michael@ih-c.com
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