Econintersect: The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) has released a report that finds the number of children in the U.S. with mental disorders has been growing between 1994 and 2011. In any given year between 13% and 20% of U.S. children experience a mental disorder. The treament costs are estimated at $247 billion annually. The new report just released by the CDC covers data fromm 2005-2011.
A summary provided by the CDC includes the following:
The following are key findings from this report about mental disorders among children aged 3–17 years:
- Millions of American children live with depression, anxiety, ADHD, autism spectrum disorders, Tourette syndrome or a host of other mental health issues.
- ADHD was the most prevalent current diagnosis among children aged 3–17 years.
- The number of children with a mental disorder increased with age, with the exception of autism spectrum disorders, which was highest among 6 to 11 year old children.
- Boys were more likely than girls to have ADHD, behavioral or conduct problems, autism spectrum disorders, anxiety, Tourette syndrome, and cigarette dependence.
- Adolescent boys aged 12–17 years were more likely than girls to die by suicide.
- Adolescent girls were more likely than boys to have depression or an alcohol use disorder.
Data collected from a variety of data sources between the years 2005-2011 show:
Children aged 3-17 years currently had:
- ADHD (6.8%)
- Behavioral or conduct problems (3.5%)
- Anxiety (3.0%)
- Depression (2.1%)
- Autism spectrum disorders (1.1%)
- Tourette syndrome (0.2%) (among children aged 6–17 years)
Adolescents aged 12–17 years had:
- Illicit drug use disorder in the past year (4.7%)
- Alcohol use disorder in the past year (4.2%)
- Cigarette dependence in the past month (2.8%)
The estimates for current diagnosis were lower than estimates for “ever” diagnosis, meaning whether a child had ever received a diagnosis in his or her lifetime. Suicide, which can result from the interaction of mental disorders and other factors, was the second leading cause of death among adolescents aged 12–17 years in 2010.
Hat tip to Russell Huntley.
Sources:
- Children’s Mental Health – New Report (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 16 May 2013)
- Mental Health Surveillance Among Children — United States, 2005–2011 (Ruth Perou et al, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 16 May 2013)
- Autism: An Epidemic (GEI News, 10 May 2013)
