ADHD medication used by one in ten Finnish preteen boys – in Eastern Finland this figure is higher than one in five among boys born late in the year
One in ten boys aged 10 to 12 takes ADHD medication. There are significant regional differences, and the prevalence of ADHD medication use in Eastern Finland is already approaching 20% of all boys in that age group. There are also clear nationwide differences in medication use between boys born early in the year and boys born late in the year.
“Most boys are being diagnosed with ADHD and starting ADHD medication while they are still in primary school,” says Miika Vuori, Senior Researcher at Kela.
In 2023, more than 10% of all boys aged 10 to 12 in Finland were on ADHD medication. This is nearly triple the percentage in 2015.
Based on epidemiological studies, the prevalence of ADHD is estimated at approximately 5–7%.
Significant regional differences in boys’ use of ADHD medication
In most wellbeing services counties, more than 10% of boys aged 10 to 12 are taking ADHD medication. ADHD medication use is most prevalent in Eastern Finland and Lapland, with numbers exceeding 15%. In Eastern Finland, the number is already approaching 20%.
“In Eastern Finland, the use of ADHD medicines is so common among preteen boys that we are not aware of similar numbers anywhere else in the world other than Iceland,” says Vuori.
Boys born late in the year more likely to take ADHD medication
Previous studies have shown that both globally and in Finland, boys born late in the year are more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD and use ADHD medication than those born early in the year.
In 2023, the prevalence of ADHD medication use among boys aged 10 to 12 was 10.3% for those born between January and April, 11.6% for those born between May and August, and 13.5% for those born between September and December. The prevalence of ADHD medication use was almost one third higher among those born late in the year than those born early in the year.
“The link between the month of birth and ADHD medication use does not seem to have weakened, at least not when it comes to primary school-aged boys. This is the first time we are preliminarily describing the phenomenon from a perspective focusing on regional differences. The differences between boys born early in the year and boys born late in the year when it comes to ADHD medication use were apparent all across the country,” says Vuori.
Several factors explain the increase
In Eastern Finland, more than 20% of boys aged 10 to 12 who were born late in the year use ADHD medication. ADHD medication use is very prevalent in this age group in many other regions as well.
Among boys, the prevalence of ADHD medication use has reached levels that in many parts of Finland clearly exceed the estimated prevalence of ADHD established in previous studies.
“It is important to have a wider societal discussion about whether we are too eager to turn to ADHD medicines as a solution to functional challenges faced by primary school-aged boys. I think it is very important to form a more detailed overall picture of how treatment of children’s ADHD symptoms is implemented in different parts of the country,” says Vuori.
Researchers estimate that the increase in ADHD diagnoses and ADHD medication use is explained by several different factors. There have been changes to clinical practices and, for example, the criteria for diagnosing ADHD have been slightly relaxed. There has also been a significant change in the Finnish Current Care Guidelines, which have recommended since 2019 that the diagnosis and treatment of children’s ADHD be handled within primary healthcare. Experts have also pointed to changes in the environment in which children grow and study as well as to digitalisation and the spread of smartphones as possible contributing factors.
“ADHD in girls is an important topic in its own right and should be looked into separately. ADHD medication use has also clearly increased among girls in recent years,” says Vuori.
More information
Researchers and experts have written more on the topic in Kela’s research blog (in Finnish).
Miika Vuori
Senior Researcher, Kela
miika.vuori@kela.fi
Andre Sourander
Professor of Child Psychiatry, University of Turku
andsou@utu.fi