Presentation (CTI)

OBJECTIVES: Since 2022, the FDA has recognized an ongoing shortage of amphetamine salts, commonly prescribed to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Little is known about the population with new ADHD diagnoses and associated amphetamine prescriptions; the purpose of this study was to describe trends from 2021 to 2024.
METHODS: This study used a subset of electronic health record data from Truveta. We calculated the monthly rate of first-time ADHD diagnoses and amphetamine prescriptions per 10,000 eligible patients between January 2021 and October 2024. Patients were eligible if they had an encounter within the health system in the prior two years and no prior evidence of an ADHD diagnosis or amphetamine prescription (analyses conducted independently). Rates were calculated overall and for seven age groups. Linear regression models were used to assess temporal trends.
RESULTS: During the study period, 1,033,117 and 520,408 people received a first-time ADHD diagnosis and amphetamine prescription, respectively. We observed a significant increase in the rate of first-time ADHD diagnoses (0.04 per 10,000 people per month, p<0.001). The highest diagnosis rates were seen for 12-14- and 15-17-year-olds, however increased first-time diagnoses were observed only for age groups over 30 (p<0.001). The greatest increases were seen in the 30-44-year-old age group (0.1 per 10,000 eligible people per month, p<0.001). The overall rate of amphetamine prescriptions did not increase across the study period; however, all age groups over 30 years old saw significant increases (p<0.001). The greatest increases were seen for the 30-44-year-olds (0.04 per 10,000 eligible people per month).
CONCLUSIONS: We observed increases in first-time ADHD diagnoses and amphetamine prescriptions amongst adult populations. These findings highlight the need for further research to understand the drivers behind these trends and their implications for healthcare delivery and public health.