Major depressive episodes among adolescents are on the rise but there hasn’t been a corresponding rise in treatment levels, suggesting many teens are left untreated.
The 12-month prevalence of major depressive episodes (MDE) in adolescents aged 12-17 years rose to 11.3% in 2014, from 8.7% in 2005, according to data from the National Surveys on Drug Use and Health. This corresponded to a 37% increase in odds over the time period studied (odds ratio, 1.37; 95% confidence interval, 1.27-1.48; P less than .001).
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For young adults aged 18-25 years, the change was more modest, from 8.8% in 2005 to 9.6% in 2014 (OR, 1.13; 95%, CI, 1.05-1.22; P = .001), the researchers noted.
The trend of rising depression rates was limited to those in the 12-20 year age range and was more prominent among non-Hispanic whites and adolescent girls.
The researchers found no link between the increasing trend in depression and factors typically associated with adverse mental health outcomes, such as substance abuse, single parent homes, or income.
Of particular concern was the finding that the proportion of adolescents with depression who received treatment or counseling did not significantly change over the time period studied. While the use of specialty mental health providers increased in adolescents and young adults, most of the increases were limited to the years after 2011.
“In view of the growing prevalence of MDE in these age groups, stable treatment rates translate into a growing number of untreated depressed adolescents,” the researchers wrote. “These trends suggest that little progress has been made in narrowing the mental health treatment gap for adolescent depression. This lack of progress may reflect lingering reluctance on the part of providers to diagnose and treat depression in the wake of the FDA’s black box warning regarding the use of antidepressants.”
The researchers reported having no relevant financial disclosures.