This included 80 879 youth across the world to estimate the prevalence of mental illness during COVID-19.
‘Global prevalence of mental illnesses like depression and anxiety in children and adolescents is found to be elevated since the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. This warrants attention and the need for further mental health management.’
Mental Illness Prevalence
It was found that the prevalence of clinically elevated levels of depression and anxiety was 25.2% and 20.5%, respectively among the children and adolescents. The prevalence was found to be doubled during COVID-19 when compared with prepandemic estimates (generalized anxiety 11.6% and depressive symptoms 12.9%).
Around 1 in 4 youth experience clinically elevated depression symptoms, and 1 in 5 youth experience elevated anxiety symptoms. Moreover the symptoms were higher in studies conducted later in the pandemic, in girls, and older children.
The study indicates that this significantly increased incidence of mental illness warrants attention and need for further mental health management.
Source: Medindia
