A longitudinal study of adolescent mental health service use

Abstract

This study examines longitudinal mental health service use patterns of a school-based sample of adolescents. Based on the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale scores, a stratified sample of middle-school students was interviewed using the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Aged Children: cycle one (n = 579; mean age 12.83) and cycle two (n = 490; mean age 18.65). Service use also was assessed by mailed questionnaire: cycle three (n = 330; mean age 20.60). Service use decreased over time. Whites and males received significantly more treatment in the first cycle. In the second cycle, service use by race and gender was equal; in the third cycle, females received more treatment. Those with a psychiatric diagnosis (first cycle, 54%; second cycle, 33%) received treatment in the prior year. Under-treatment of youth with psychiatric diagnoses is a significant problem, with differences in service use by race and gender over time.

Factors Associated with Use of Mental Health Services for Depressed and/or Suicidal Youth Aged 15–24

“…Findings from Cuffe et al (2001) suggest that gender may influence mental health service use in depressed youth. Among 19-24 year olds, females were more likely than males to access mental health services (Lin et al 1996;Leaf et al 1985;Bland et al 1997;Rhodes et al 2002).…”

“…Among 19-24 year olds, females were more likely than males to access mental health services (Lin et al 1996;Leaf et al 1985;Bland et al 1997;Rhodes et al 2002). However, some studies show that gender may not have a significant impact on mental health service use when respondents under age 19 are sampled (Cuffe et al 2001;Zwaanswijk et al 2003;Verhulst and van der Ende 1997).…”

“…In Canada, this difference may be even more pronounced given that mental health services are provided by different government agencies based on the cut off age of 18 (Leavey et al 2000;Kirby 2006). Numerous studies have examined the factors associated with service use by youth (Cuffe et al 2001;Wu et al 2001;Wang et al 2005;Bergeron et al 2005;Vasiliadis et al 2005;Haarasilta et al 2002;Rhodes et al 2006;Lin et al 1996). However, these previous studies have either examined children and adolescents as a group (up to age 18), adolescents with young adults (age 15-24), or adults alone (age 18 and above).…”

“…In North America, \50% of depressed and/or suicidal youth have used services (Lin et al 1996;Cuffe et al 2001;Leaf et al 1985;Offord et al 1996;Bland et al 1997;Wu et al 1999Wu et al , 2001Rhodes et al 2002;Sen 2004;Wang et al 2005;Cheung and Dewa 2007). With so many depressed and/or suicidal youth not receiving mental health services, there is an urgent need to better understand the factors associated with service use.…”

Caregiver Factors Predicting Service Utilization Among Youth Participating in a School-based Mental Health Intervention

“…One study reported that only 30% of children who used services during a 3-month period continued to use services during the subsequent 3-month period and fewer than 10% of children persisted in service use across multiple 3-month follow ups (Farmer et al 1999). Similarly, a longitudinal study reported that the percent of individuals receiving mental health treatment in the past year started at 24% and decreased to 3% by the end of the 7-year study (Cuffe et al 2001). The most common pattern of service use for both outpatient specialty mental health services and educational services is 1-2 visits over a 3-month period (Farmer et al 1999).…”