ADHD in Shift / night workers: Prevalence, Risk & Key Differences

Key things to know What the evidence shows
How common is it? NE
Is it more common among shift / night workers? Shift-work-specific ADHD prevalence not established
Are shift / night workers at higher risk? Sleep disruption can substantially worsen ADHD symptoms
How much higher is the risk? NE
How often can it be missed? High because sleep loss mimics/worsens ADHD
Does it show up differently among shift / night workers? Yes contextually
How might it look different? Sleep deprivation may dramatically worsen attention, inhibition and working memory
What commonly occurs alongside it? Sleep disorders; depression/anxiety
What can it be confused with? Shift-work sleep disorder; chronic sleep deprivation
Common screening tool ASRS
Separate screening tool for shift / night workers None
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