ReviewFrontiers in psychiatry2025
Misuse and diversion of stimulant medications prescribed for the treatment of ADHD: a systematic review.
Review in Frontiers in psychiatry, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers.
What it found
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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.
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.
Who cites it
11 citing papers in PubMed.
- Trial
- Preventing Prescription Stimulant Diversion and Misuse via a Web-Based Intervention: A Randomized Controlled Trial.Journal of attention disorders · 2026Trial
- Regulatory reform and adult methylphenidate dispensing in France: a nationwide interrupted time-series study.BMJ mental health · 2026Article
- Medical Use and Misuse of Addictive Prescription Drugs and Mental Health Among Adolescents in Estonia.Nordisk alkohol- & narkotikatidskrift : NAT · 2026Article
- [Performance-related substance use in everyday life and work].Bundesgesundheitsblatt, Gesundheitsforschung, Gesundheitsschutz · 2026Review
- Novel dopamine 4 receptor ligands differentially ameliorate ADHD-like behaviors in spontaneously hypertensive rats.Psychopharmacology · 2026Article
- Case for caution in expanding attention deficit hyperactivity disorder prescribing.Internal medicine journal · 2026Review
- Pharmacotherapy of major depressive disorder in older adults: from an evidence-informed stepwise algorithm to precision medicine.Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology · 2026Review
- Pharmacological management of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in adults.Australian prescriber · 2026Article
- Review
- Global Trends in ADHD Medication Use: Multiple Contexts and Rising Concerns-A Narrative Review.Journal of clinical medicine · 2025Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Aim: Stimulant medications are an evidence-based treatment for ADHD. However, stimulant medications are associated with a risk of misuse and diversion. Given the paucity of research, this systematic review evaluates the prevalence of misuse and diversion of stimulant medication by those who are prescribed the medication for a diagnosis of ADHD, and explores risk factors for misuse and diversion. Methods: This systematic review was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42023469041). A systematic search of original articles from PubMed and PsycInfo on the topic of interest over a period of 10 years (2012-2023) was conducted. Risk of bias was assessed through JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist for Prevalence Studies. A meta-analysis was conducted using JBI SUMARI software. Results: Twelve cross sectional surveys met the inclusion criteria, with study populations ranging from 88 respondents to 10,000 respondents. Meta-analysis found an average prevalence of past year prescription stimulant medication misuse of 22.6%, past year diversion of 18.2%, and lifetime diversion of 17.9%. Risk factors for misuse included being prescribed an amphetamine-based stimulant, reporting comorbid depressive and anxiety symptoms, and believing that misuse was not associated with risks. Risk factors for diversion included exposure to peers who were misusing stimulant medication, and having surplus medication available. Conclusion: With more than one in five people reporting misuse of their prescribed stimulant medication, and one in six diverting their prescribed stimulant medication, comprehensive risk assessment and risk mitigation strategies are needed. Further research in a variety of geographic and demographic settings is needed to develop effective risk assessment tools and targeted interventions.
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Registered trials
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.