TITLE:
Socio-maternal risk factors of ADHD among Iraqi children: A case-control study
AUTHORS:
Hussain R. Saadi, Khadijah Shamsuddin, Rosnah Sutan, Serene A. Alshaham
KEYWORDS:
ADHD; Socio-Maternal; Risk Factors; Case-Control
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Preventive Medicine,
Vol.3 No.2,
April
30,
2013
ABSTRACT: Background: Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a chronic disorder that appears
first in childhood at preschool age (4 - 5) years, and is manifested by a
symptomatic pattern of difficulties with attention, motor activity and
impulsivity. Maternal factors like stress, socio-demographic and maternal life
style factors are potential risk factors for ADHD. Methodology: A retrospective
case-control study was conducted in Baghdad-Iraq. Cases have been taken from 5
private paediatric clinics. Controls were chosen from kindergartens within the
same residential area of the paediatric private clinics. Mothers of cases and
controls were investigated for the risk factors of ADHD using a
self-administered questionnaire. The total sample size was 260. Number of
cases was 130 and number of controls was 130. Results: Five variables were significantly associated with development of ADHD after using a multivariate logistic
regression model, maternal war stress (Adjusted OR 9.08, 95% CI 4.70 - 17.52
and P value bidity and improvement of maternal
health. There is a real necessity to address the need of vulnerable pregnant mothers at war and disaster’s time for programmes which will
be able to control the stress that those pregnant mothers would encounter during
those hard times.