Mental health worries, communication, and needs in the year of the U.S. terrorist attack: National KySS survey findings

A Focus on Child Health and Parenting

“…Given the high incidence of maternal depression and stress in today' s society, it is imperative for pediatric primary care providers to be able to screen for, identify, and provide early interventions for high-risk mothers in order to improve outcomes for their children. Findings from this study support other recent surveys with parents who also have reported that although parents worry about a variety of mental health issues, they routinely do not discuss these issues with their primary care providers (Melnyk et al 2002). However, caution must be used in generalizing this study' s findings to other mothers of varied race/ethnicity (e.g., Hispanic, non-White, and MexicanAmerican mothers).…”

Psychosocial Implications of Disaster or Terrorism on Children: A Guide for the Pediatrician

“…It is curious that they reported talking to their pediatric primary health care professionals and parents more about significant concerns in their lives after September 11th, whereas parents reported talking less to their children after September 11th about these same concerns. 20 It is likely that because of the differences in perception of communication between children and adults and the lack of formal psychological evaluations for most of our nation's youth, the psychological burden of many children was not adequately assessed or addressed. In addition, pediatric practitioners in the New York City tristate area reported gaps in their self-perceived knowledge and skills necessary to address the many mental health-related concerns that they encountered in patients after September 11th.…”

The Effectiveness of Intervention Studies to Decrease Alcohol Use in College Undergraduate Students: An Integrative Analysis

“…Furthermore, Melnyk et al (2002), in the Keep Your Children/Yourself Safe and Secure (KySS) survey of mental health worries of over 1,200 teens and parents from 24 states throughout the United States, found that the greatest mental health worries for both teens and their parents were how to cope with stress, anxiety, depression, self‐esteem, and their relationships with each other. Teens in this study also reported that one of their greatest needs was that they wanted their parents and other adults to listen to them.…”

“…Recommendations included health screening for depression, emotional issues, and alcohol use (American Medical Association 1997). Despite these recommendations, the national KySS survey also found that mental health screening practices, including screening for alcohol use, of more than 600 primary care providers across the United States were less than adequate (Melnyk et al 2002). Therefore, exploration of these sensitive topics must become integral to our approach during all health care encounters in this population.…”