European data on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in adults with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the general population is sparse.

To report HRQoL in UK adults with ADHD.

UK residents aged 18–55 years with a diagnosis of adult ADHD completed an online, cross-sectional survey including questions on disease history, the EuroQol Five Dimensions questionnaire with five-levels (EQ-5D-5L) and the Work productivity and activity impairment questionnaire: general health (WPAI:GH). ADHD symptom severity was assessed by telephone using ADHD rating scale version IV with adult prompts (ADHD-RS-IV).

The survey was completed by 233 participants (65.2% women; 77.3% white British), mean age 32.6 years (standard deviation [SD] 9.5), mean ADHD-RS-IV total score 43.46 (SD 7.88). Their mean EQ-5D-5L utility score of 0.74 (SD 0.21) was lower than the UK population norm of 0.86 (SD 0.23).[1] WPAI:GH scores indicated that health problems resulted in impairments of 32.04% in work productivity and 45.79% in regular daily activities. Regression analyses adjusting for gender, age and comorbidities demonstrated associations between EQ-5D-5L utility scores and gender (men had lower scores, P < 0.001), work impairment due to health problems (increasing impairment was associated with lower scores, P = 0.005) and age (for each additional year of age, scores decreased by 0.007, P = 0.010).

These results highlight the impact on health utility, work productivity and regular daily activities, and add to the description of the disease burden of adult ADHD in the UK.

This study was funded by Shire Development LLC.

Kings College London research support account for Asherson received honoraria for consultancy to Shire, Eli-Lilly and Novartis educational/research awards from Shire, Lilly, Novartis, Vifor Pharma, GW Pharma and QbTech speaker at sponsored events for Shire, Lilly and Novartis.