A nurse-led lifestyle intervention for adult persons with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in Sweden

Abstract

Introduction: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with lifestyle-related diseases. Therefore, a nurse-led lifestyle intervention including interpersonal relationships, health education and cognitive support was developed to facilitate healthier lifestyle habits.

Aim: The aim was to develop a lifestyle intervention and investigate its impact on mental and physical health

Method: The 52-week intervention included 35 adults with ADHD. In a pre- and post-test design, symptoms of ADHD were measured with the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale, quality of life was measured with the Adult ADHD Quality of Life scale and mental health was measured with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale. Lifestyle habits and dimensions of health were measured by the Lifestyle-Performance-Health Questionnaire and physical fitness was measured by the VO2 Max Test and calculations of waist circumference and body mass index. Result: Post-tests for a group of 25 persons showed positive changes following the intervention regarding weekly physical activity, quality of life and general and mental health. Lifestyle habit support was found to be important. The impact of the intervention should be confirmed in a long-term study with a control group.

Conclusion: This intervention may be beneficial and may be implemented in a primary healthcare setting or in other open care units.

Keywords:

• Adult ADHD
• clinical practice
• interpersonal relationships
• lifestyle intervention
• nurse-led

Author contributions

AB: substantial contribution to the conception of design and interpretation of the data. AB, EW, SV, NO: Interpretation and analysis of data. All authors gave final approval of the manuscript for publication.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).