United States: A newly released study reveals that depression along with anxiety has grown progressively worse among young people within the last few years.
Experts reveal that anxiety affects 10.6% of children annually but rose from 7.1% in 2016 to the present level, as published in JAMA Pediatrics on April 21.
Research data indicates that child depression levels grew to 4.6% from 3.2% throughout this period.
More about the news
According to the lead researcher Marie Heffernan, an assistant professor of pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, “Our findings underscore the critical need to prioritize youth mental health, which continued to worsen even as we emerged from the pandemic,” US News reported.
“Parents and schools need more support to be better equipped to help children suffering from anxiety or depression,” she noted.
The study team used the National Survey of Children’s Health data, which received funding from the Health Resources and Services Administration.
Physical health issues of children declined simultaneously with an increase in mood disorders.
Asthma numbers dropped from 8.4% to 6.5% during the 2016 to 2022 period, according to study results, while severe headaches or migraines cases decreased from 3.5% to 2.6%.
Researchers reported that behavior and conduct problems showed no changes in their rate, staying at 7%, based on their studies.
Furthermore, as per the senior researcher Dr. Michelle Macy, an emergency medicine physician at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, “Continued attention and resources are warranted at a national level to clarify and address the multitude of potential causes of worsening anxiety and depression in children and adolescents,” US News reported.
As per the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, the following symptoms of a childhood mood disorder include:
- Strong feelings of sadness, depression, and irritability, together with anger and elevated moods, exceed typical emotional reactions.
- Friction with family.
- Lack of motivation or regular enjoyment of ordinary hobbies and activities no longer brings children satisfaction.
- During the study period, researchers recorded a decline in the number of students who experienced changes in their normal eating or sleeping habits.
- Children frequently experience physical symptoms that include headaches together with stomach aches and fatigue.
- Difficulty achieving in school.