Awareness and knowledge of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder among general population of Makkah, Saudi Arabia

Background and aim: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ADHD is considered as one of the common neuro developmental disorders. It is common among children and young adults, affecting their social, academic, and occupational functioning. ADHD can be diagnosed using the revised DSM-5 diagnostic criteria. As there is lack of studies that assess the awareness and knowledge of ADHD among the general population of Makkah, our study targets the general population of Makkah to assess their awareness and knowledge regarding ADHD. Methods: A descriptive cross sectional study using an electronic survey formed by Google forms. Data were obtained from residents of Makkah city aging 15 years and above. Results: A Total of 603 participants have enrolled in this study, 69 of them were excluded for not meeting the criteria. (94.2%) had heard about ADHD and (39.9%) of responders knew about it from social media. 56.6% considered that it's a mixed disorder (behavioral, neurological and psychiatric), whereas 24.2% believed it to be a behavioral disorder only. As for its cause, 80% of the participants believed it is a multi-cause disorder. In regard to the treatment, 75.1% determined that the best modality is combined medical and behavioral therapy, while 19.9% favored behavioral therapy, 2.6% preferred medications and 2.4% believed there is no treatment for ADHD. Conclusion: Our study reported the knowledge and awareness level of Makkah population regarding ADHD. Makkah residents would benefit from further education and orientation regarding ADHD.