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Primary Care and Academic Success Linked in ADHD
Clin Pediatr; ePub 2018 Jan 30; Rubinstein, et al
Having a regular primary care physician (PCP) may optimize the academic performance in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a recent study found. Researchers performed a cross-sectional study using data from the 2011-2012 National Survey of Children’s Health. Children aged 6 to 17 years with a diagnosis of ADHD were included in the study (n=8,173). The exposure was whether the guardian identified a regular PCP for their child and the outcomes were parental-reported measures of child well-being and academic performance. They found:
- Among the study population, 8.9% reported no regular PCP.
- These children were found to be significantly less likely to finish assigned tasks, care about school, and finish homework.
- There were no differences in other examined outcomes.
Rubinstein M, Ruest S, Amanullah S, Gjelksvik A. Having a regular primary care provider is associated with improved markers of well-being among children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. [Published online ahead of print January 30, 2018]. Clin Pediatr.