(NewsNation) — The number of young people with antidepressant prescriptions rose nearly 64% after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new study published by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
The number of people between the ages of 12 and 25 who received at least one antidepressant prescription rose significantly between January 2016 and December 2022, the study found. The increase was mostly driven by the prescription rate for female patients, despite a declining rate of antidepressant prescriptions that were filled for male adolescents.
The prevalence of depression and anxiety among people of that age group was already rising before the March 2020 COVID-19 outbreak, according to the study.
The national Youth Behavior Risk Survey at the time found that persistent feelings of sadness and hopelessness increased from 21% to 29% in males between 2011 and 2021, and 36% to 57% in females.
The increase may partly reflect a greater need for antidepressants or changes in access, and treatment patterns may have played a role.
For example, people subjected to long wait lists for therapy after the outbreak may have chosen to start or continue antidepressants rather than relying on therapy alone, the study’s authors wrote.
The more widespread accessibility to health care through telehealth may also have improved access to providers who can prescribe antidepressants.
Future research should look into how much of the increase was driven by changes in mental health access to care or treatment patterns for mental health conditions, researchers recommended.
