Attitudes of South Australian psychiatrists towards attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in adults

Abstract

Objective A lack of access to psychiatric services for adult ADHD is a recognised issue in South Australia and nationally. This study aims to explore the practices of local psychiatrists and their attitudes towards adult ADHD, with a view to determining any barriers influencing accessibility to treatment. Methods We developed an online survey to examine the aims of the study. Free text boxes were included to obtain qualitative data. Quantitative data were tallied and presented as percentages. Qualitative data (free text responses) were analysed thematically. Results 73 out of 322 psychiatrists responded (22.7%). The greatest barrier to seeing adult ADHD was the fear of being inundated with cases (68.5%), followed by lack of experience managing ADHD (32.9%), and potential drug-seeking behaviour of patients (31.5%). Two overarching qualitative themes were identified: practical barriers and attitudinal barriers. Conclusion ADHD service provision is complex and relates to many systemic factors such as public versus private, funding, and service organisation. More psychiatrists need to become involved in treating ADHD so that the work is more widely spread. Increased training in ADHD is also needed to increase confidence in managing the condition.