An Israeli study conducted on 120,000 children and teens in the Sharon and Samaria regions show that children living on kibbutzim have the highest intake of Ritalin among their peers, and that secular Jews use the drug more than religious Jews or Arabs. According to the study, published in the Journal of Attention Disorders, 18.9 percent of children in kibbutzim, almost one in five, take Ritalin or similar medication. For children living in moshavim the rate was 12.4%, in Jewish cities 9.6%, Arab cities 2.5% and in settlements 10.5%. In total, 7.1% of youth ages 6-18 in the Sharon and Samaria regions take Ritalin. About 8-12% of children and youths are believed to suffer from attention deficit disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Breaking the down the data by city shows that the city of Hod HaSharon has the largest number of children prescribed Ritalin (14%), followed by Qiryat Ono (9%). Comparatively Arab cities and religious Jewish communities were found to have much lower percentages: Bnei Brak (4%), Elad (3.8%), Kfar Bara (6%) and Kfar Qasem (1.8%). The study was also published on the Kamoni ("Like me") social network. The study was headed by Dr. Lotfi Jabr, the head of children's health center in Tayyibe. "The use of medications to treat attention disorders in children is also a function of the populaces's attitude [toward it]," he said. According to Jabr, the disparity in percentages between certain groups and cities is likely linked to price of the medication and the earlier access to diagnosis for people in higher socio-economic groups. Dr. Jabr said it should be examined whether the rise in Ritalin use is a result of higher awareness or pressure to perform better in school.
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Study: Nearly one in five kibbutz children take Ritalin
Some 7.1% of Israeli youth ages 6-18 living in the Sharon and Samaria regions take Ritalin • Children's health professional says rise in Ritalin usage should be explored to see whether it's due to actual need or pressure to perform better in school.