A newly released report sheds light on the global mental health crisis affecting young individuals, indicating that more than 1 in 10 individuals aged 5 to 24 years live with at least one diagnosable mental disorder.
The report, drawing from the 2019 Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study, underscores the significant burden of mental health issues in this demographic, with approximately one fifth of all disease-related disability attributed to mental disorders. The data, encompassing 293 million individuals worldwide within this age group, paints a concerning picture of the prevalence of mental health challenges among young people.
Led by Christian Kieling, MD, PhD, from Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil, the authors of the report express apprehension about the potential lifelong impact of these conditions, given the concentration of disability burden at such an early age.
The escalating rates of mental health disorders among young people, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, have prompted the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and the American Academy of Pediatrics to declare a state of emergency, as reported by Medscape Medical News.
Using data from the GBD study, Kieling and colleagues estimated the global prevalence and years lived with disability associated with mental disorders and substance use disorders in individuals aged 5 to 24 years. In 2019, it was found that 11.6% of individuals in this age group experienced at least one mental disorder, while 1.2% had a substance use disorder.
The prevalence of mental disorders notably doubled from ages 5 to 9 years to ages 20 to 24 years, with anxiety disorders being the most common among the overall population, affecting 84 million individuals, and schizophrenia being the least common, impacting 2 million individuals.
The report highlights a significant increase in mood disorders, particularly anxiety and substance use disorders, from early adolescence to young adulthood.
Mental disorders and substance use disorders emerged as the leading cause of nonfatal disability in children and youths in 2019, accounting for 31 million and 4.3 million years lived with disability (YLDs), respectively, representing roughly 20% and 3% of YLDs from all causes.
In response to these findings, an accompanying editorial emphasized the need for targeted approaches to youth mental health, considering the variations in prevalence and morbidity across age and gender. Healthcare and education resource allocation may need adjustment to address specific disorders effectively, the editorial suggests, highlighting the importance of age-based interventions and gender-specific considerations in mental health screening, promotion, and prevention efforts.