ADHD follow-up care : the children's perspective

Background There are indications that the follow-up care of attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has shortcomings in primary care. To gain more insight in the current quality of the follow-up care, the Health Council of the Netherlands recommends to investigate this. Therefore, it is important to examine the children’s perspective regarding the ADHD follow-up care. Objective The aim of this research was to gain insight in the quality of the follow-up care for children with ADHD from the perspective of children with ADHD. Methods A qualitative exploratory research method was used, using individual semi-structured interviews. The research was carried out in region Twente in the Netherlands. The nine interviewed children were aged from 9 till 11 years and have ADHD as primary disorder. The interviews were analyzed using open-coding thematic analysis. Results A total of seven themes were identified reflecting the experiences, needs, and preferences of the children regarding the follow-up care. Conclusion Through this research, it became evident how the follow-up care is provided, giving insight in the current quality of the follow-up care. Many needs and preferences were identified, which can be used in de optimization of the follow-up care in the Netherlands.