ROCHESTER, N.Y., April 27 /PRNewswire/ -- A new Wall Street Journal Online/Harris Interactive Health-Care Poll shows that majorities of adults in the United States think that attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) drugs are prescribed too often for children (61%) and teens (51%), but they have relatively little knowledge of their safety and effectiveness. Nonetheless, it appears that the public would rather see the FDA err on the side of caution as the vast majority (68%) of adults believes the FDA should require a stronger warning label about potential risks for psychiatric and cardiac problems that can affect young people taking ADHD drugs.
These are some of the results of a Harris Interactive(R) online survey of 2,237 U.S. adults conducted between April 5 and 7, 2006 for The Wall Street Journal Online's Health Industry Edition.
Efficacy
In regard to the effectiveness of prescription drugs used to treat people with ADHD, the survey shows that substantial numbers of adults are not sure if these drugs are effective in treating this condition or in providing quality of life benefits that override potential risks.
* At least half of all adults say they are not sure about the
effectiveness of prescription drugs in treating adults (56%), teenagers
(52%) and children (50%). For those who do have an opinion, similar
numbers of adults think the drugs are effective or very effective (24%
to 27%) as do those who think they are not very or not at all effective
(20% to 23%).
* Slightly more than a third (35%) of adults say they somewhat or strongly
agree that effective treatments for patients with ADHD provide quality
of life benefits that override the rare potential risks of psychiatric
and cardiac problems patients sometimes experience with these
treatments, while one-quarter (26%) somewhat or strongly disagrees with
this. About two in five (39%) are not sure.
Safety
Approximately two in five adults are not sure how safe ADHD drugs are for treating adults (43%), teenagers (41%) and children under age 13 (40%). However, adults are more likely to think that these drugs are not very or not at all safe for children under age 13 (41%) and teenagers (37%) than they are for adults (28%).
* While the public is split on whether they think these drugs are safe or
not for adults being treated for ADHD (29% safe/very safe vs. 28% not
very/not at all safe), when it comes to teenagers and children, the
public is more likely to say these drugs are not very or not at all safe
(37% for teens and 41% for children) than safe or very safe (22% for
teens and 20% for children).
* While approximately three in ten (29%) adults somewhat or strongly agree
that doctors generally do a good job advising patients and parents about
the risks and benefits of ADHD drugs, 34 percent somewhat or strongly
disagree with this and another 37 percent are not sure.
* A plurality (49%) of adults admit they are not sure, based on what they
know or have heard, whether or not some ADHD drugs are safer than
others.
Likelihood of taking ADHD drugs if recommended
Perhaps due to the lack of knowledge or concerns some have about prescription drugs to treat ADHD, if they personally were diagnosed with this condition, only a third (32%) of adults say they would be very or somewhat likely to take one of the drugs if their doctor recommended it. Almost two in five (38%) say they would be not very or not at all likely to take their doctor's recommendation and 27 percent say they are not sure.
TABLE 1
PERCEIVED EFFICACY OF ADHD DRUGS
"There are a number of prescription drugs, such as Adderall, Concerta, Ritalin
and Strattera, which are used to treat people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Overall, how effective do you think these drugs
are at treating the following types of people?" Base: All Adults Very Not Very/ Effective/ Not At All Not At For Effective Very Effective Not Very All Not Treating: (NET) Effective Effective (NET) Effective Effective Sure Adults % 24 5 19 20 12 8 56 Teenagers % 25 6 19 23 15 9 52 Children under the age 13 % 27 7 20 23 13 10 50 Note: Percentages may not add up exactly to 100% due to rounding. TABLE 2 PERCEIVED SAFETY OF ADHD DRUGS
"Based on what you know or have heard, how safe do you think these ADHD drugs
are for treating each of the following?"
Base: All Adults
Not Very/
Very Not At All Not Not At
For Safe/Safe Very Safe Very All Not
Treating: (NET) Safe Safe (NET) Safe Safe Sure
Adults % 29 4 25 28 17 11 43
Teenagers % 22 3 19 37 24 13 41
Children
under the
age 13 % 20 3 17 41 24 17 40
Note: Percentages may not add up exactly to 100% due to rounding.
TABLE 3
PRESCRIPTION OF ADHD DRUGS
"Overall, do you think ADHD drugs are prescribed too often, not often enough,
or as often as they should be for treating each of the following?"
Base: All Adults
As Often
Not As They
Too Often Should Not
For Treating: Often Enough Be Sure
Adults % 32 11 15 42
Teenagers % 51 4 10 35
Children under
the age 13 % 61 2 7 30
TABLE 4
PERCEPTIONS OF SAFETY AND EFFICACY OF ADHD DRUGS
"Based on what you know or have heard, to what extent would you agree or
disagree with the following statements about ADHD drugs?"
Base: All Adults
Agree Disagree
Strongly/ Strongly/
Agree Disagree
For Somewhat Agree Agree Somewhat Disagree Disagree Not
Treating: (NET) Strongly Somewhat (NET) Somewhat Strongly Sure
Doctors
generally
do a good
job advising
patients and
parents about
the risks
and benefits
of ADHD
drugs. % 29 7 22 34 22 12 37
Effective
treatments
for patients
with ADHD
provide
quality of
life benefits
that override
the rare
potential
risks of
psychiatric
and cardiac
problems
patients
sometimes
experience
with these
treatments. % 35 8 27 26 17 9 39
Some ADHD
drugs are
safer than
others. % 36 10 27 14 8 7 49
The FDA
should
require a
stronger
warning
label
about the
rare
potential
risks for
psychiatric
and cardiac
problems
that can
affect young
people who
take ADHD
drugs. % 68 49 19 6 4 2 26
Note: Percentages may not add up exactly to 100% due to rounding.
TABLE 5
LIKELIHOOD OF TAKING ADHD DRUGS WHEN RECOMMENDED BY A PHYSICIAN
"If you were diagnosed with ADHD, how likely would you be to take one of the drugs if your doctor recommended it? Please select the one best answer below."
Base: All Adults
Total
%
Very Likely/Somewhat (NET) 32
Very likely 10
Somewhat likely 22
Not Very/Not At All Likely (NET) 38
Not very likely 20
Not at all likely 18
Been diagnosed (NET) 3
I have been diagnosed with ADHD and I take
prescription drugs to treat the condition 1
I have been diagnosed with ADHD and I have
decided not to take prescription drugs to
treat the condition 1
Not sure 27
Note: Percentages may not add up exactly to 100% due to rounding.
Downloadable PDFs of Wall Street Journal Online/Harris Interactive Health- Care Polls are posted at http://www.harrisinteractive.com/news/newsletters_wsj.asp.
Methodology
Harris Interactive(R) conducted this online survey within the United States between April 5 and 7, 2006 among a national cross section of 2,237 adults, ages 18 years and over. Figures for age, gender, race/ethnicity, education, income and region were weighted where necessary to align with population proportions. Propensity score weighting was also used to adjust for respondents' propensity to be online.
All surveys are subject to several sources of error. These include: sampling error (because only a sample of a population is interviewed); measurement error due to question wording and/or question order, deliberately or unintentionally inaccurate responses, nonresponse (including refusals), interviewer effects (when live interviewers are used) and weighting.
With one exception (sampling error) the magnitude of the errors that result cannot be estimated. There is, therefore, no way to calculate a finite "margin of error" for any survey and the use of these words should be avoided.
With pure probability samples, with 100 percent response rates, it is possible to calculate the probability that the sampling error (but not other sources of error) is not greater than some number. With pure probability samples of 2,237 adults, one could say with a ninety-five percent probability that the results have a sampling error of +/- 3 percentage points. However that does not take other sources of error into account. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no theoretical sampling error can be calculated.
These statements conform to the principles of disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.
About the Survey
The Wall Street Journal Online/Harris Interactive Health-Care Poll is an exclusive poll that is published in the award-winning Health Industry Edition of The Wall Street Journal Online at http://www.wsj.com/health.
About The Wall Street Journal Online
The Wall Street Journal Online at WSJ.com, published by Dow Jones & Company (NYSE: DJ; http://www.dowjones.com/), is the largest paid subscription news site on the Web. Launched in 1996, the Online Journal continues to attract quality subscribers that are at the top of their industries, with 768,000 subscribers world-wide as of Q4, 2005.
The Online Journal provides in-depth business news and financial information 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with insight and analysis, including breaking business and technology news and analysis from around the world. It draws on the Dow Jones network of nearly 1,900 business and financial news staff-the largest network of business and financial journalists in the world. The Online Journal also features exclusive content, including interactive graphics on business and world news, and online-only columns about the automotive industry, technology, personal finance and more.
The Online Journal offers three industry-specific verticals: the award- winning Health, Media & Marketing and now Law. Health offers authoritative analysis, breaking news and commentary from top industry journalists. Media & Marketing is designed for professionals in the advertising, marketing, entertainment and media industries. Law is designed to provide law firms and attorneys timely information on events and trends important to the legal market. Subscribers to all also get access to the full content of the Online Journal.
In 2005, the Online Journal was awarded a Codie Award for Best Online News Service for the second consecutive year, and its Health Industry Edition was awarded Best Online Science or Technology Service for the third consecutive year. In 2004, the Online Journal received an EPpy Award for Best Internet Business Service over 1 million monthly visitors.
The Wall Street Journal Online network includes CareerJournal.com, OpinionJournal.com, StartupJournal.com, RealEstateJournal.com and CollegeJournal.com.
About Harris Interactive(R)
Harris Interactive Inc. (http://www.harrisinteractive.com/), based in Rochester, New York, is the 13th largest and the fastest-growing market research firm in the world, most widely known for The Harris Poll(R) and for its pioneering leadership in the online market research industry. Long recognized by its clients for delivering insights that enable confident business decisions, the Company blends the science of innovative research with the art of strategic consulting to deliver knowledge that leads to measurable and enduring value.
Harris Interactive serves clients worldwide through its United States, Europe (http://www.harrisinteractive.com/europe) and Asia offices, its wholly-owned subsidiary Novatris in Paris, France (http://www.novatris.com/), and through an independent global network of affiliate market research companies. EOE M/F/D/V
To become a member of the Harris Poll Online(SM) and be invited to participate in future online surveys, go to http://www.harrispollonline.com/.
Press Contacts:
Jennifer Cummings
Harris Interactive
585-214-7720
Robert Christie
Dow Jones & Company
212-416-2636
