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In February, the CDC released a trends report analyzing a results from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey from 2011-2021. Youth mental health has worsened in the past decade, with 42% of high school students reporting feeling sad or hopeless in 2021 – compared to 28% of students in 2011. Additionally, about 1 in 5 students reported seriously considering suicide and 1 in 10 attempted suicide at least once in the past year. The report further highlights the experiences of adolescent girls characterized by higher rates of reported sadness or hopelessness (57%), attempted suicide (13%), and sexual violence (18%) compared to their male peers. To learn more, see the report from the CDC.  

Research has shown that social determinants of health such as environmental quality influence a person’s health outcomes. A longitudinal, cohort study of 8.9 million Medicare recipients sought to understand the association between long-term exposure to common air pollutants and a diagnosis of depression in older adults (aged 64 and older). When accounting for other environmental factors, exposure to fine particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, and ozone was associated with an increased risk of depression – with the risk increasing the longer the exposure. To learn more, see the study in JAMA Network Open.    

A national poll of more than 700 LGBTQ youth ages 13-24 found that recent anti-LGBTQ policies and debates cause anger, sadness, stress and fear. Overall, seven in ten LGBTQ youth reported that debates about state laws restricting LGBTQ youth rights have negatively impacted their mental health, with trans and non-binary youth most likely to indicate a negative impact (86%) of all reported groups. Additionally, youth reported experiencing online harassment, problems with family and friends, and not feeling safe seeking medical care as a result of anti-LGBTQ policies and debates. Advocating for laws protecting the rights of LGBTQ youth can help prevent negative mental health impacts. To learn more, see the report from The Trevor Project.  

Continuing outpatient mental health services after a psychiatric hospitalization is critical to prevent readmissions or involvement with the criminal justice system. However, a retroactive analysis of Medicaid claims data for approximately 18,000 patients who were hospitalized in psychiatric units found racial disparities in receipt of follow-up care. While 60% of patients overall attended outpatient mental health services within 30 days of discharge, Black (55%) and Native American/Alaska Native (56%) patients were significantly less likely than white (64%) counterparts to receive follow-up care. Community factors including county poverty levels and urbanicity were found to have the most significant impact on variation in follow-up care. To learn more, see the article in Psychiatric Services.