Big Jump for Women and Older Adults
The increase in prescriptions has been particularly striking in adult women. ADHD (Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) has historically been synonymous with symptoms such as having trouble focusing, chronically hyperactive, impulsive behaviour, but new studies indicate that the presentation of ADHD can be different in girls than in boys. And so far, they are often diagnosed when they are grown-ups.



In 2023, 170,000 adult men and 130,000 adult women had been given prescription drugs for ADHD, a combined total of more than 1.5 per cent of the Dutch population. This is a sharp rise from 0.

5 percent of people using medication of this type in 2006. The number of women on medication also increased nearly sixfold, compared with a more than doubling for men, narrowing the margin between the two groups.

Trends in Children and Socioeconomic Disparities
Boys are more likely than girls to receive ADHD medication among younger children.

Among children with diagnosed ADHD, boys are more likely than girls to receive a prescription for ADHD medication. A particularly large gap is evident in the 10 to 15 age group, among whom 7.3 percent of boys were using medication in 2023, compared with only 3.

0 percent of girls.

Socioeconomic status also influences ADHD medication use. Those in the highest income bracket also reported the fewest number of users — 1.

5.