Gender Differences in the Prevalence of ADHD Among Clients of Therapeutic Communities for Drug Addicts in the Czech Republic: Secondary Analysis of the Pilot Study
Abstract
Gender issues in specialized facilities and programs for addiction treatment represent an important topic, considering the important evidence for specific needs and individualization of interventions. We found out that the prevalence of ADHD is 56.6% among the clients of six therapeutic communities in the Czech Republic and described the influence of associated comorbidity on the compliance with treatment in our pilot study.
The secondary analysis of data from the pilot study aims to chart gender-specific features among the whole sample of clients of therapeutic communities. The aim of this study was to identify gender differences between women and men with and without ADHD, define the characteristics of these groups, and find out any significant complications in treatment with respect to gender.
The participants were 76 clients from six therapeutic communities in the Czech Republic, aged between 15 and 45 years old; 35% were women, in a proportion of 2:1 to men. The sample was divided on the basis of the diagnostic part into two groups - with and without ADHD.
Data were obtained through the key workers in the therapeutic communities; the battery of tests contained two self-evaluating tools for clients (based on ASRS in 1.1 and WURS 61) and one evaluating tool for therapists based on CTQ. The analysis of the data was performed using qualitative methods by combining a descriptive approach and sectional processes of data analysis.
The women with ADHD exhibit more complications according to the WURS - 25 scale and ASRS in 1.1; severe complications discovered by anamnesis occur mainly in the men in both groups. The men with and without ADHD show a higher rate of complications than the women.
The group with ADHD shows an increasing number of people with complications and an increase in their severity during treatment; gender differences are visible mainly in the qualitative area: the men have different issues than the women.