AXIOS February 27, 2024
Antidepressant prescribing to youths rose 63.5% during the pandemic, with adolescent girls accounting for some of the sharpest increases, according to new research in Pediatrics.
Why it matters: It’s further evidence of a youth mental health crisis characterized by depression and anxiety brought on by social isolation, concern about the future and financial and other stressors.
- But a shortage of mental health workers and the shift toward telehealth and remote prescribing may have contributed to a prioritization of drug treatments over therapy.
What they found: The monthly antidepressant dispensing rate for females ages 12-17 surged 129.6% from March 2020 onward compared with beforehand, the University of Michigan-led study concluded.
- The rate rose 56.5% for women between the...
Today's Sponsors
Today's Sponsor