Self-Reported ADHD Among Portuguese Medical Residents: Medication Use, Psychiatric Comorbidities, and Perceived Professional Impact.
- 1Psychiatry and Mental Health, Unidade Local de Saúde de Lisboa Ocidental, Lisbon, PRT.
Abstract
Background ADHD is increasingly recognised in medical trainees, yet data from Portuguese residency programmes are lacking. Objectives This study aimed to assess the proportion of self-reported diagnosed or suspected ADHD among Portuguese medical residents, characterise medication use patterns, identify psychiatric comorbidities, and evaluate perceived professional impact. Methods Cross-sectional, observational study based on an anonymous online questionnaire distributed to medical residents across multiple Portuguese training centres between March and June 2026 (n = 225). ADHD symptoms were assessed using the Portuguese version of the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale version 1.1 (ASRS-v1.1). Results A total of 225 residents completed the questionnaire. Diagnosed or suspected ADHD was self-reported by 37.3% (n = 84) of participants. Among this group, 66.7% (n = 56) reported that ADHD was first identified after commencing residency, and 56.0% (n = 47) reported no formal evaluation. Medication use was reported by 25.8% (n = 58). Among medication users, 32.8% (19/58) reported obtaining medication from a colleague or friend, through self-prescription, or without a formal prescription. Psychiatric comorbidities were significantly more prevalent in the self-reported ADHD group than in participants not reporting ADHD (61/84, 72.6% vs 69/141, 48.9%; p < 0.001). Professional impact was perceived as negative by 83.3% (n = 70) of this group. Conclusions Portuguese medical residents reported high rates of diagnosed or suspected ADHD, frequent medication use outside conventional prescribing pathways, and substantial perceived professional impairment. These findings highlight the need for structured diagnostic pathways and institutional support within residency training programmes.
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BibTeX
@article{azenha2026selfreported,
title = {{Self-Reported ADHD Among Portuguese Medical Residents: Medication Use, Psychiatric Comorbidities, and Perceived Professional Impact.}},
author = {João P Azenha and Margarida Cândido and Joana T Domingos and Raquel L Medinas and Daniel E Sousa},
journal = {Cureus},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.7759/cureus.117586},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42997482},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Self-Reported ADHD Among Portuguese Medical Residents: Medication Use, Psychiatric Comorbidities, and Perceived Professional Impact.
AU - João P Azenha
AU - Margarida Cândido
AU - Joana T Domingos
AU - Raquel L Medinas
AU - Daniel E Sousa
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/07
JO - Cureus
DO - 10.7759/cureus.117586
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42997482
AB - Background ADHD is increasingly recognised in medical trainees, yet data from Portuguese residency programmes are lacking. Objectives This study aimed to assess the proportion of self-reported diagnosed or suspected ADHD among Portuguese medical residents, characterise medication use patterns, identify psychiatric comorbidities, and evaluate perceived professional impact. Methods Cross-sectional, observational study based on an anonymous online questionnaire distributed to medical residents across multiple Portuguese training centres between March and June 2026 (n = 225). ADHD symptoms were assessed using the Portuguese version of the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale version 1.1 (ASRS-v1.1). Results A total of 225 residents completed the questionnaire. Diagnosed or suspected ADHD was self-reported by 37.3% (n = 84) of participants. Among this group, 66.7% (n = 56) reported that ADHD was first identified after commencing residency, and 56.0% (n = 47) reported no formal evaluation. Medication use was reported by 25.8% (n = 58). Among medication users, 32.8% (19/58) reported obtaining medication from a colleague or friend, through self-prescription, or without a formal prescription. Psychiatric comorbidities were significantly more prevalent in the self-reported ADHD group than in participants not reporting ADHD (61/84, 72.6% vs 69/141, 48.9%; p < 0.001). Professional impact was perceived as negative by 83.3% (n = 70) of this group. Conclusions Portuguese medical residents reported high rates of diagnosed or suspected ADHD, frequent medication use outside conventional prescribing pathways, and substantial perceived professional impairment. These findings highlight the need for structured diagnostic pathways and institutional support within residency training programmes.
SN - 2168-8184
ER -