A meta-analysis published in JAMA Network Open, covering roughly 16 million people, found that individuals with ADHD had a 71% higher risk of dying from any cause compared with those without the condition. The elevated risk extended to suicide, injury, and natural causes, with hazard ratios of 1.89, 1.55, and 1.27, respectively. The researchers, led by Joshua Stott of University College London, noted that the direction of the association was consistent across studies, even though the magnitude varied.
The analysis also found that ADHD medication use was associated with a 25% lower all-cause mortality risk. However, the authors cautioned that this finding was based on only three studies and could be affected by confounding, including differences in healthcare access, socioeconomic status, and illness severity between treated and untreated individuals.
Experts not involved in the study emphasized that ADHD is often underdiagnosed, particularly in adults. Jeffrey Newcorn of Mount Sinai noted that as many as half of adults with ADHD are first diagnosed in adulthood, and many diagnosed adults do not receive treatment. The study's authors stressed that the findings do not mean everyone with ADHD will die young, but rather underscore the need for accurate diagnosis and treatment.