Practitioner Review: It's time to bridge the gap – understanding the unmet needs of consumers with attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder – a systematic review and recommendations

Abstract

ObjectiveUnderstanding the unmet needs of healthcare consumers with attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (individuals with ADHD and their caregivers) provides critical insight into gaps in services, education and research that require focus and funding to improve outcomes. This review examines the unmet needs of ADHD consumers from a consumer perspective.MethodsA standardised search protocol identified peer‐reviewed studies published between December 2011 and December 2021 focusing on consumer‐identified needs relating to ADHD clinical care or research priorities.Results1,624 articles were screened with 23 studies that reviewed examining the needs of ADHD consumers from Europe, the U.K., Hong Kong, Iran, Australia, the U.S.A. and Canada. Consumer‐identified needs related to: treatment that goes beyond medication (12 studies); improved ADHD‐related education/training (17 studies); improved access to clinical services, carer support and financial assistance (14 studies); school accommodations/support (6 studies); and ongoing treatment efficacy research (1 study).ConclusionADHD consumers have substantial unmet needs in clinical, psychosocial and research contexts. Recommendations to address these needs include: improving access to and quality of multimodal care provision; incorporating recovery principles into care provision; fostering ADHD health literacy; and increasing consumer participation in research, service development and ADHD‐related training/education.