Intersecting trajectories of childhood ADHD, socioeconomic deprivation and distinct multimorbidity patterns in women

07/08/2026

AI Summary

Childhood ADHD in females markedly raises risk of multimorbidity in early adulthood (ages 18 to 32 years).
Childhood ADHD and socioeconomic deprivation independently and synergistically increase multimorbidity risk; 39% of burden attributable to their interaction.
Distinct multimorbidity clusters identified; the most adverse cluster characterised by psychiatric complexity, signalling need for earlier integrated care for disadvantaged girls with ADHD.

AI Summary

The long-term consequences of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in females remain underrecognized both in research and clinical practice.

Here, in this longitudinal cohort study, we examined the combined influence of childhood socioeconomic deprivation and ADHD diagnosis on multimorbidity risk in women in early adulthood (that is, aged 18-32 years) and used latent class analysis to explore clustering patterns.

Three findings emerged: females with childhood ADHD had a significantly higher risk of adult multimorbidity; childhood ADHD and socioeconomic deprivation increased this risk both in isolation and synergistically, with 39% of the multimorbidity burden attributable to their interaction; and distinct multimorbidity clusters emerged, with the most adverse marked by psychiatric complexity.

Basic summary

Nat Ment Health. 2026;4(8):1239-1247. doi: 10.1038/s44220-026-00653-1. Epub 2026 May 25.

ABSTRACT

The long-term consequences of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in females remain underrecognized both in research and clinical practice. Multimorbidity (two or more long-term conditions) is increasingly viewed as a key outcome yet its prevalence, complexity and sociodemographic determinants are understudied in this group. Here, in this longitudinal cohort study, we examined the combined influence of childhood socioeconomic deprivation and ADHD diagnosis on multimorbidity risk in women in early adulthood (that is, aged 18-32 years) and used latent class analysis to explore clustering patterns. Three findings emerged: females with childhood ADHD had a significantly higher risk of adult multimorbidity; childhood ADHD and socioeconomic deprivation increased this risk both in isolation and synergistically, with 39% of the multimorbidity burden attributable to their interaction; and distinct multimorbidity clusters emerged, with the most adverse marked by psychiatric complexity. These results highlight girls with ADHD from disadvantaged backgrounds as a high-risk group requiring earlier, integrated care.

PMID:42564067 | PMC:PMC13441990 | DOI:10.1038/s44220-026-00653-1

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