Convergent Validity of the Estimated Prevalence of Stimulant Medication Treatment Among Children with ADHD Using National Surveys and Prescription Drug Dispensary Data

• Activity Number: 43
• Type: Contributed
• Date/Time: Sunday, August 3, 2014 : 2:00 PM to 3:50 PM
• Sponsor: Section on Statistics in Epidemiology
• Author(s): Melissa Danielson*+ and Susanna Visser and Rebecca Bitsko and Joseph Holbrook
• Companies: CDC and CDC and CDC and CDC
• Keywords: ADHD ; stimulant medication ; national surveys ; prescription medication ; survey item validity

Abstract

National surveys are an important source of data for monitoring the prevalence of children's mental disorders and associated treatment. However, survey items generally are not directly validated, and researchers must use other methods to provide support for item validity. We propose to demonstrate one such analysis, using national survey data to create state-based estimates of the percentage of children treated with stimulant medication for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and comparing these to estimates from a published paper developed from prescription drug records in 2008 (McDonald, 2013). Our estimates will use parent-reported data from the 2007 National Survey of Children's Health and the 2009-10 National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs. By showing the convergent validity of the survey questions compared to administrative records, we will have provided evidence for the validity of parent report of medication treatment, thereby strengthening our ability to describe demographic patterns and trends over time, and identify other factors associated with ADHD medication treatment among US children.