Evaluation of treatment adherence, sleep disturbances, eating attitudes, anxiety levels and internet use among patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder during covid-19 pandemic

Atteniton Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) which inlcudes age-inappropriate levels of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity symptoms is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorder of childhood. Studies about sleep and anxiety among ADHD patients during COVID-19 have already been done; however no study investigated sleep, anxiety, eating attitudes and internet use together so far. This study aims to evaluate treatment adherence, sleep disturbances, eating attitudes, anxiety levels and internet use among patients with ADHD during COVID-19 pandemic. 82 patients with ADHD and 51 healthy controls between 10-16 ages, who applied to Gazi Child and Adolescent Psychiatry outpatient clinics and matched the inclusion criteria are included in the study. Sociodemographic information form prepared by the authors, Conners Parent Rating Scale – Revised Short, Sleep Disturbances Scale for Children, Children's Anxiety and Depression Scale, Strength and Difficulties Questionairre, Eating Attitudes Test-40, Young Internet Addiction Test – Short Form were requested to be filled by both patients and parents. Treatment adherence of the ADHD group included in this study was poor; but no difference in the measures were found in relation to treatment adherence. Both treatment adherent and non-adherent groups had later onset of sleep, reduced physical activity and increased body weight, difficulties in adaptation to online education and short attention span for online lectures during COVID-19 pandemic. ADHD group had a tendency for sleep disturbances and internet addiction, longer duration of online gaming and screen exposure comparing to control group. ADHD group had higher scores in the Children's Anxiety and Depression Scale panic sub-scale, Young Internet Addiction Test – Short Form, Eating Attitudes Test-40, Conners Parent Rating Scale – Revised Short, Strength and Difficulties Questionairre, Sleep Disturbances Scale for Children evaluations. Children with ADHD had lesser adaptation to online education during COVID-19. Nearly half of the patients in both ADHD and control groups had increased body weight. It is important to increase physical activity, encourage outdoor events, provide structured environmental needs similar to school and regular controls by physicians for patients with ADHD.