Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38238059›Full record

SynthesisBMJ open2024

Prevalence of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in children, adolescents and adults in the Middle East and North Africa region: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Mohammad Al-Wardat, Mohammad Etoom, Khader A Almhdawi, Ziad Hawamdeh, Yousef Khader

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in BMJ open, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 25 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
25citing papers in PubMed, 3 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

25 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

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  6. Prevalence of ADHD Among Saudi Children and Adolescents.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Mohammad Al-WardatDepartment of Rehabilitation Sciences, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan msalwardat@just.edu.jo.ORCID 0000-0003-2106-4524
Mohammad EtoomDepartment of Rehabilitation Sciences, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan.
Khader A AlmhdawiDepartment of Rehabilitation Sciences, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan.ORCID 0000-0001-8906-6994
Ziad HawamdehThe University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan.
Yousef KhaderJordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesTo systematically estimate the overall prevalence of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children, adolescents and adults across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

designSystematic review and meta-analysis conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) statement. DATA SOURCES: Medline and Scopus databases were comprehensively and systematically searched between 1990 and February 2023. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR SELECTING STUDIES: We included all cross-sectional or cohort studies that diagnosed ADHD using validated diagnostic tools (eg, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition criteria, ADHD rating scales and ADHD diagnostic interview) or non-validated tools (eg, brain imaging techniques, computerised cognitive tests and quantitative electroencephalography). DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: Two reviewers performed the data extraction independently using standardised data collection sheet. Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used to assess the quality of the included studies. Individualised and pooled event rate and upper and lower limit at 95% CI were calculated according to the ADHD cases and the total sample size using a random-effect model. The subgroup prevalence analyses according to ADHD subtypes, gender, MENA country and age were also performed.

resultsA total of 63 articles met the inclusion criteria involving 849 902 participants. The overall prevalence of ADHD was 10.3% (95% CI 0.081 to 0.129). The prevalence rate ranged from 1.3% (Yemen) to 22.2% (Iran). Subgroup analyses showed that the prevalence in adults was 13.5 and 10.1 in children and adolescents. Males exhibited significantly higher prevalence compared with females as these were 11.1% and 7%, respectively. Attention-deficit subtype was significantly the most prevalent (46.7%) compared with hyperactivity/impulsivity (33.7%) and combined types (20.6%).

conclusionThe overall prevalence of ADHD was high in the MENA region. It is crucial to allocate more attention and resources towards the prevention and treatment of ADHD in children, adolescents and adults within the region.

Indexed as

Attention Deficit Disorder with HyperactivityAdolescentAdultAfrica, NorthernChildCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle EastPrevalenceadolescentadult neurologyadult psychiatrymental healthpublic health

Identifiers

PMID38238059
PMCPMC10806616

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.