According to data analyzed from the National Survey of Children’s Health, the percentage of children under 18 years old suffering from anxiety and depression has steadily increased from 2016 to 2022. This alarming trend is detailed in a study published in JAMA Pediatrics by researchers at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. In contrast to mental health issues, physical health problems such as asthma, severe headaches, migraines, and heart conditions remained stable or decreased during the same period.
The study reveals that the proportion of children with anxiety increased significantly from 7.1% in 2016 to 10.6% in 2022. Similarly, depression rates among children grew from 3.2% to 4.6% in the same timeframe. Attention Deficit Disorder/Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADD/ADHD) also increased, but the change was not statistically significant. Behavioral or conduct problems showed little to no change during the period studied.
In stark contrast, the data shows a decrease in physical health problems. Asthma rates declined from 8.4% to 6.5%, and severe headaches or migraines reduced from 3.5% to 2.6%. The percentage of children with heart conditions remained unchanged over the study period.
“Our findings underscore the critical need to prioritize youth mental health, which continued to worsen even as we emerged from the pandemic,” said Dr. Marie Heffernan, the lead author of the study and Scientific Director for Quantitative Science at the Smith Child Health Outcomes, Research, and Evaluation Center at Lurie Children’s Hospital. Dr. Heffernan, also an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, emphasized the need for increased support for both parents and schools to help address children’s mental health challenges.
The study’s results indicate that despite improvements in addressing physical health problems, mental health issues such as anxiety and depression have become a growing concern. This highlights a critical gap in the support available to children, making it imperative for healthcare providers, educators, and policymakers to prioritize mental health interventions and resources.
Dr. Michelle Macy, senior author and Director of the Smith Child Health Outcomes, Research, and Evaluation Center at Lurie Children’s, stressed the importance of continued national attention and resources to address the growing mental health crisis among children. “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,” she said.
The study points to a complex array of factors that may be contributing to the increase in anxiety and depression, suggesting that mental health challenges among youth may not solely be attributed to the pandemic but could also be influenced by various societal, environmental, and biological factors.
As the rates of anxiety and depression among children rise, it is clear that urgent action is needed to support youth mental health. The study’s findings call for stronger interventions and more robust resources for children, their families, and schools to help address the growing mental health crisis. Increased attention at a national level is essential to uncover the underlying causes and to implement strategies that can better equip children to manage these mental health challenges.
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