The prevalence of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder among school-aged children in Benin City, Nigeria

Objective: To establish the prevalence of ADHD among school-aged children in Benin City, Nigeria. Method: A total of one thousand, three hundred and eighty four (1384) primary school pupils, aged between six and 13 years, were recruited from six primary schools. Teacher's ratings of the 18 DSM-IV symptoms of ADHD were collected and analysed as a function of gender and subtype. Results: The results support a documented trend in ADHD reports: males had a higher prevalence rate. The prevalence rate of 8.0% found is also consistent with documented evidence. Conclusion The results strengthen earlier observations that there is no significant geographical variation on the prevalence of ADHD if common definitions and diagnostic tools are employed. This study being the first from Nigeria provides data for crosscultural comparison as a prerequisite for establishing a common knowledge of ADHD.