Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-s2hrs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-13T04:53:40.968Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Attitudes and reported practice of paediatricians and child psychiatrists regarding the assessment and treatment of ADHD in Ireland

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 July 2017

F. Honorio Neto ,
M. Tatlow-Golden Open the ORCID record for M. Tatlow-Golden [Opens in a new window] ,
A. Mulligan ,
B. Gavin  and
F. McNicholas
F. Honorio Neto*
Affiliation:
UCD School of Medicine and Medical Science, University College Dublin (UCD), Belfield, Dublin, Ireland
M. Tatlow-Golden
Affiliation:
Developmental Psychology and Childhood, Faculty of Well-Being, Education and Language Studies, The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
A. Mulligan
Affiliation:
UCD School of Medicine and Medical Science, University College Dublin (UCD), Belfield, Dublin, Ireland
B. Gavin
Affiliation:
UCD School of Medicine and Medical Science, University College Dublin (UCD), Belfield, Dublin, Ireland
F. McNicholas
Affiliation:
UCD School of Medicine and Medical Science, University College Dublin (UCD), Belfield, Dublin, Ireland
*
*Address for correspondence: M. s. F. Honorio Neto, UCD School of Medicine and Medical Science, University College Dublin (UCD), Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland (Email: fabiola.honorio-neto@ucdconnect.ie)
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objectives

This mixed-method national survey has obtained original data on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) attitudes, assessment and treatment regimes reported by paediatricians and child psychiatrists; and has compared their clinics. It has examined the extent of involvement of Irish paediatricians in the management of ADHD.

Methods

A questionnaire was designed, based on a review of literature and ADHD guidelines, and piloted by expert clinicians. Universal recruitment was conducted among Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) consultants (n=71) and community/general paediatric consultants (n=72). Quantitative and qualitative data was collected and analysed.

Results

There was an overall response rate of 43%. A dedicated ADHD clinic is offered in 79% of CAMHS services, but only in one paediatric service. Participants reported that the assessment of ADHD involves multidisciplinary work and this was only established in CAMHS clinics. Medication is initiated by 82% of child psychiatrists and only 22% of paediatricians.

Conclusions

This first national study of ADHD attitudes and practices presents comprehensive data regarding the management of children with ADHD in CAMHS and paediatric settings in Ireland. Paediatricians reported a minor role in managing ADHD. Study limitations are related to subjective reporting rather than case note audit, and a moderate response rate for the paediatricians’ participants.

Keywords

Attention deficit disorder with hyperactivityattitudeschild psychiatrypaediatricstherapeutics
Type
Original Research
Information
Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine , Volume 35 , Special Issue 3: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder , September 2018 , pp. 181 - 191
Copyright
© College of Psychiatrists of Ireland 2017 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) Work Group on Quality Issues (2007). Practice parameter for the assessment and treatment of children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 46, 894–921.Google Scholar
Canadian Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Resource Alliance (CADDRA) (2011). Canadian ADHD Practice Guidelines, 3rd edn. CADDRA: Toronto, Ontario.Google Scholar
Clarke, V, Braun, V (2013). Teaching thematic analysis. Methods 26, 120–123.Google Scholar
Cunningham, CT, Quan, H, Hemmelgarn, B, Noseworthy, T, Beck, CA, Dixon, E, Samuel, S, Ghali, WA, Sykes, LL, Jetté, N (2015). Exploring physician specialist response rates to web-based surveys. BMC Medical Research Methodology 15, 32.Google Scholar
Department of Education (2015) Pilot project to support the development of a new model for allocating additional teaching resources to schools for pupils with special educational needs, 15 September http://www.education.ie/en/Press-Events/Press-Releases/2015-Press-Releases/PR15-09-15.html. Accessed 23 November 2016.Google Scholar
Department of Education, Houses of the Oireachtas (2004). Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act. Department of Education.Google Scholar
Dreyer, R, Kiernan, MJ, Tyson, GA (2012). Parental and professional beliefs on the treatment and management of ADHD. Journal of Attention Disorders 16, 398–405.Google Scholar
Hall, R (2013). Mixed methods: in search of a paradigm. In Conducting Research in a Changing and Challenging World, (ed. T. Lê and Q. Lê), chapter 7, pp. 71–78. Launceston, Tasmania: Nova Science Publishers Inc: UK.Google Scholar
Health Service Executive (HSE) (2014). Fifth Annual Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service Report 2012–2013. Health Service Executive: Dublin.Google Scholar
Higgins, JPT, Green, S (editors) (2011). Cochrane handbook for systematic reviews of interventions. The Cochrane Collaboration. Version 5.1.0. (http://handbook.cochrane.org). Accessed 15 May 2015.Google Scholar
Hill, CE, Knox, S, Thompson, BJ, Williams, EN, Hess, SA, Ladany, N (2005). Consensual qualitative research: an update. Journal of Counseling Psychology 52, 196–205.Google Scholar
McNicholas, F, Orakwue-Ononye, N, O’Hanrahan, S (2014). Paediatric psychotropic prescribing practices in Ireland. Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine 31, 7–20.Google Scholar
Medical Council of Ireland (2014). Medical workforce intelligence report. A report on the Annual Registration Retention Survey 2013.Google Scholar
National Health and Medical Research Council (2012). Clinical practices points on the diagnosis, assessment and management of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children and adolescents. Commonwealth of Australia.Google Scholar
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (2008). Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Diagnosis and Management. NICE: London (last update 2016).Google Scholar
New Zealand Ministry of Health (2001). New Zealand Guidelines for the Assessment and Treatment of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Ministry of Health: Wellington.Google Scholar
O’Keeffe, N, McNicholas, F (2011). Paediatricians’ views on their role in the assessment and management of ADHD and autism. Irish Medical Journal 104, 282–284.Google Scholar
Pallant, J (2011). SPSS Survival Manual: a step by step guide to data analysis using SPSS. Allen & Unwin 4, 341.Google Scholar
Polanczyk, G, de Lima, MS, Horta, BL, Biederman, J, Rohde, LA (2007). The worldwide prevalence of ADHD: a systematic review and metaregression analysis. American Journal of Psychiatry 164, 942–948.Google Scholar
Royal College of Psychiatrists (2015). Physical health of children and adolescents: What specialist child and adolescent psychiatrists need to know and do. Faculty of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty Report, England and Wales and Scotland.Google Scholar
Salmon, G, Kemp, A (2002). A Survey of psychiatric and paediatric practice. Child and Adolescent Mental Health 7, 73–78.Google Scholar
Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (2009). Management of Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorders in Children and Young People – A National Clinical Guideline. Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN): Edinburgh.Google Scholar
Storebø, J, Ramstad, E, Krogh, HB, Nilausen, TD, Skoog, M, Holmskov, M, Rosendal, S, Groth, C, Magnusson, FL, Moreira-Maia, CR, Gillies, D, Buch Rasmussen, K, Gauci, D, Zwi, M, Kirubakaran, R, Forsbol, B, Simonsen, E, Gluud, C (2015). Methylphenidate for children and adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (Review). Cochrane Developmental. Psychosocial and Learning Problem Group. The Cochrane Library, 1–767.Google Scholar
Subcommittee on Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Steering Committee on Quality Improvement and Management/American Academy of Pediatrics (2011). ADHD: clinical practice guideline for the diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children and adolescents. Pediatrics 128, 1–16.Google Scholar
Taylor, E, Döpfner, M, Sergeant, J, Asherson, P, Banaschewski, T, Buitelaar, J, Coghill, D, Danckaerts, M, Rothenberger, A, Sonuga-Barke, E, Steinhausen, HC, Zuddas, A (2004). European clinical guidelines for hyperkinetic disorder – first upgrade. European Society for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (ESCAP) l3 (Suppl. 1): 17–30.Google Scholar
Turgay, A (2007). A multidimensional approach to medication selection in the treatment of children and adolescents with ADHD. Psychiatry (Edgmont) 8, 47–57.Google Scholar
Venter, A, Linde, G, Plessis, JD, Joubert, G (2004). A comparison between South African psychiatrists’ and paediatricians’ knowledge, attitudes and current practices regarding the management of children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Journal of Child & Adolescent Mental Health 16, 11–18.Google Scholar
World Health Organization (WHO) (2003). Caring for Children and Adolescents with Mental Disorders. Setting WHO Directions. WHO: Geneva, Switzerland.Google Scholar
Supplementary material: PDF

Honorio Neto supplementary material

Honorio Neto supplementary material 1

Download Honorio Neto supplementary material(PDF)
PDF 532 KB