Adults With ADHD Are Less Productive Workers

Adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) do about one month's less work each year than people who don't have this condition, a new 10-country study from the World Health Organization (WHO) demonstrates.

And only a few of these days are spent out sick.

Workplace programs to screen employees for ADHD and provide treatment could be a cost-effective way to improve productivity, especially since just a fraction of individuals are the condition were getting treatment.

To evaluate the prevalence of ADHD among adults and its consequences in the workplace, the researchers surveyed 7,075 18- to 44-year-olds who were paid workers or self-employed as part of the WHO World Mental Health Survey Initiative. The survey included workers in Belgium, Colombia, France, Germany, Italy, Lebanon, Mexico, the Netherlands, Spain and the US.

Overall, the researchers found, 3.5 percent of individuals surveyed met diagnostic criteria for ADHD. Males were much more likely to have the disorder, while ADHD was less common among professionals.

ADHD manifests itself somewhat differently among adults than children. Individuals with ADHD can be very lively, very hyperactive, but some don't appear hyperactive but are unable to stay focused and to concentrate on one job at one time.

One way to help workers with ADHD might be to allow them to concentrate on a single task per day, rather than requiring them to do several things at once.


Those With ADHD Do 1 Month's Less Work A Year