Packages of care for ADHD in low- and middle-income countries

In the final article in a six part series on treating mental health problems in resource-poor settings, Alan Flisher, from the University of Cape Town, and colleagues present "packages of care" for treating Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in low- and middle-income countries. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD) is a pervasive developmental disorder that, although commonest in childhood and adolescence, can be diagnosed at any age. The chronic condition affects individuals throughout their lives, across all cultural contexts, say the authors, and is associated with considerable social, psychological, and economic adversity. Its worldwide prevalence is about 5%.

Packages of care are combinations of treatments aimed at improving the recognition and management of conditions to achieve optimal outcomes. The authors found that "an appropriate package of treatment for AD/HD in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) should include screening of high-risk groups, psycho-educational interventions with caregivers, methylphenidate, and behavioral interventions."

The PLoS Medicine series on mental, neurological and substance use disorders in LMICs is accompanied by a related perspective by Vikram Patel and Graham Thornicroft, the guest editors of the series. The series collection page, with links to the five other articles in the series, is compiled on Speaking of Medicine, the PLoS Medicine blog: http://speakingofmedicine.plos.org/2009/10/12/collection-page-for-new-series-on-mental-health-in-low-and-middle-income-countries/

Citation: Flisher AJ, Sorsdahl K, Hatherill S, Chehil S (2010) Packages of Care for Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Low- and Middle-Income Countries. PLoS Med 7(2): e1000235. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1000235

Funding: The authors received no specific funding to write this piece.

Competing Interests:The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

IN YOUR COVERAGE PLEASE USE THIS URL TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO THE FREELY AVAILABLE PAPER: http://www.plosmedicine.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pmed.1000235

PRESS-ONLY PREVIEW OF THE ARTICLE: www.plos.org/press/plme-07-02-flisher.pdf

CONTACTS:
Alan Flisher
University of Cape Town
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Klipfontein Road
Rondebosch
Cape Town, Western Cape 7700
South Africa
+27216854103
alan.flisher@uct.ac.za

A new policy on tobacco papers

In this month's editorial, the PLoS Medicine Editors announce that they will no longer consider papers for which support—in whole or in part—for the study or the researchers comes from a tobacco company. As a medical journal, this policy is important for two reasons, say the editors: first, tobacco is indisputably bad for health. And second, the editors remain concerned about the tobacco industry's long-standing and well-documented attempts to distort the science of and deflect attention away from the harmful effects of smoking.

Citation: The PLoS Medicine Editors (2010) A New Policy on Tobacco Papers. PLoS Med 7(2): e1000237.doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1000237

Funding: The authors are each paid a salary by the Public Library of Science, and they wrote this editorial during their salaried time.

Competing Interests: The authors' individual competing interests are at http://www.plosmedicine.org/static/editorsInterests.action. PLoS is funded partly through manuscript publication charges, but the PLoS Medicine Editors are paid a fixed salary (their salary is not linked to the number of papers published in the journal).

IN YOUR COVERAGE PLEASE USE THIS URL TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO THE FREELY AVAILABLE PAPER: http://www.plosmedicine.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pmed.1000237

PRESS-ONLY PREVIEW OF THE ARTICLE: www.plos.org/press/plme-07-02-editorial.pdf

CONTACT:
The PLoS Medicine Editors
Medicine_editors@plos.org

Source: Public Library of Science