Xi'an Janssen Supports the Launch of the 2nd ADHD Awareness Week and Adolescent Mental Health Campus Initiative

Beijing, April 25, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the "Second Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Care Week and Campus Tour for Adolescent Mental Health" project was officially launched. The project is sponsored by Xi'an Janssen Pharmaceutical Ltd., the pharmaceutical subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson in China, and jointly organized by the China Youth Development Foundation, China Youth Publishing Group, the WHO Collaborating Center for Research and Training in Child Mental Health, and nine other organizations, totaling 12 entities. The theme of this year's ADHD Care Week is "Integration of Medical and Educational Approaches, Scientific Diagnosis and Treatment," aiming to further enhance public awareness of ADHD, deepen innovative diagnostic and treatment models, and advocate for scientifically based diagnosis and management of the disorder. Renowned host Negmat actively participated in various public welfare activities of the project as the Care Ambassador.

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), commonly known as hyperkinetic disorder, is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized primarily by age-inappropriate distractibility, narrowed attention span, indiscriminate hyperactivity and emotional impulsivity across settings, accompanied by cognitive impairments and learning difficulties.¹ 

According to statistics, the prevalence of ADHD among children and adolescents in China is 6.26%, with approximately 23 million affected individuals.². ADHD is common in school-aged children, but symptoms persist into adolescence in 70% of affected individuals and into adulthood in 30%–50%.¹ In China, public awareness of ADHD is insufficient.^3,4, with a consultation rate of only 10%¹ , and only one-third of patients received standardized treatment.⁵

At the launch ceremony, Professor Ke Xiaoyan, Director of the WHO Collaborating Center for Research and Training in Child Mental Health and a professor at Nanjing Brain Hospital, stated, “Due to a lack of disease awareness, the symptoms exhibited by children with ADHD are often misinterpreted by parents as mere naughtiness or hyperactivity. Insufficient communication among teachers, parents, and physicians further leads to this issue being overlooked.”

“In response to the ‘Healthy China Action – Action Plan for Mental Health of Children and Adolescents (2019–2022),’ we will comprehensively launch a campus-based initiative focused on adolescent mental health,” said Guo Meijian, Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of the China Youth Development Foundation. “Through this initiative, we are committed to improving the social environment and safeguarding the mental health development of children and adolescents by establishing a collaborative mechanism involving government agencies, hospitals, schools, media outlets, research institutions, and other social forces.”

Launched concurrently with this ADHD Care Week, the “Adolescent Mental Health Campus Tour” innovatively establishes a three-party communication platform among physicians, teachers, and parents, further deepening the “medical-educational collaboration” model. As primary schools across China resume classes, the “Adolescent Mental Health Campus Tour” will invite physicians specializing in ADHD to deliver special lectures at 260 schools nationwide, disseminating disease-related knowledge and guiding teachers and parents in conducting preliminary screening, diagnosis, and follow-up collaborative treatment for ADHD.

Currently, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought more difficulties and challenges to the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD patients' families. During this year's Care Week, 63 authoritative experts in the field of ADHD provided free online consultations for the public on the WeDoctor platform; in terms of public education, a series of interactive activities were also launched on social media platforms such as Sina Weibo and Douyin, further enhancing society's awareness of ADHD through public welfare video challenges.

The 2020 ADHD Care Week, supported by Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Xi’an, marked the second consecutive year of public education initiatives focused on ADHD. In April 2019, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Xi’an, supported the inaugural ADHD Care Week, during which the “Vision for ADHD Treatment in China” was released, and a series of public welfare science popularization and awareness campaigns were conducted, significantly enhancing public awareness and understanding of ADHD in China.

Janssen China President An Sijia stated, “Over the past 35 years of continuously introducing innovative treatment solutions and serving patients in China, Janssen has placed particular emphasis on the healthy growth of Chinese children and adolescents. By leveraging our expertise in the pharmaceutical sector, we are committed to collaborating with all stakeholders to deliver more innovative and optimized disease management solutions for pediatric and adolescent patients in China, thereby safeguarding their comprehensive physical and mental well-being.”

¹Zheng Yi, Liu Jing, eds. Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in China (2nd ed.). Chinese Medical Electronic Audio-Video Publishing House; 2015.
² Wang T, et al. BMC Psychiatry. 2017 Jan 19;17(1):32.
³Huang Chunjuan, et al. Chinese Mental Health Journal. 2012; 26(10):766-770.
⁴Jin Wenlan, et al. China Journal of Health Psychology. 2010;18(3):307-309.
⁵Jin Xingming. Journal of Educational Biology. 2015;3(1):1-3