Data Resource Center for Child & Adolescent Health
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Variable Name: Indicator 2.7: Medication for ADD/ADHD (K2Q31D)
Survey Items: K2Q31A; K2Q31B; K2Q31D.
Denominator: Children age 2-17 years
Numerator: Currently have ADD/ADHD and are taking medication; currently have ADD/ADHD but are not taking medication; do not currently have ADD/ADHD
Revisions and Changes: Same as the 2007 NSCH; may compare across survey years with special attention to the addition of cell phones in the 2011/12 NSCH sample.
Additional Notes: Indicator 2.7 is based on three questions asked for children between two and 17 years of age: whether parents were ever told by a health care provider that the child has ADD or ADHD (K2Q31A); whether the child currently has ADD or ADHD (K2Q31B); and whether the child is currently taking medication for ADD or ADHD (K2Q31D). The second and third questions were asked only if the response to the previous question was "Yes". Please note that in the NSCH all information about children's health conditions is based on parent recollection and is not independently verified. Further, a response of "Yes" to having "ever been told" that a child has a specific health condition (e.g., K2Q31A = Yes) DOES NOT indicate whether the child currently has that particular condition and therefore should not be interpreted as current prevalence.
Treatment of Unknown Values: Unknown values (responses coded as 'refused', 'don't know', or system missing) are not included in the denominator when calculating prevalence estimates and weighted population counts displayed in the data query results table. In nearly every case, the proportion of unknown values is less than 1% and the exclusion of these values does not change the prevalence estimates (%) and only marginally affects the weighted population counts (Weighted Est.). Exceptions are noted in the form of a “Data Alert” at the bottom of a results table.
History and Development: The Maternal and Child Health Bureau leads the development of the NSCH survey and indicators, in collaboration with the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) and a national technical expert panel. The expert panel includes representatives from other federal agencies, state Title V leaders, family organizations, and child health researchers. Previously validated questions and scales are used when available. Respondents’ cognitive understanding of the survey questions is assessed during the pretest phase and revisions made as required. All final data components are verified by NCHS and DRC/CAHMI staff prior to public release. The samples in 2003 and 2007 were drawn by random digit dial telephone sampling. The 2011/12 survey included the addition of cell phones to the sample. This has implications for the comparability of items between 2007 and 2011/12. More information can be found in the “Learn About the Surveys” section of this website.
Indicator 2.7: How many children currently have ADD/ADHD and take medication for this condition? (details)
Notes: Click on the Column Header to sort the results by ascending or descending order.
To get a detailed explanation of the data HOVER over the text in the table.
This project of the Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative (CAHMI) supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under Cooperative Agreement U59MC27866, The National Maternal and Child Health Data Resource Center. This information, content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government. Additional support for DRC-related projects has come from other funding agencies, including the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) of the National Institutes of Health and Autism Speaks. The surveys that are the original sources of the data were conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics. CAHMI is responsible for the analyses, interpretations, presentations and conclusions included on this site.
© 2012 The Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative