Many have posited the reason for rising mental health concerns among kids and teens – social media, the COVID-19 pandemic, stigma, etc. But the reality is there is a constellation of factors that contribute to this crisis, according to experts.
Feinberg investigators are looking into the barriers kids and teens face to accessing mental health treatment. Observational studies at Northwestern have identified concerning issues facing youth trying to get mental health care. This work spans departments including Pediatrics and Medical Social Sciences.
Identifying a Lack of Inpatient Care
To provide care to those seeking help, the health system must be equipped to handle the demand. A recent study in JAMA Pediatrics found that the number of pediatric inpatient psychiatrics beds is not rising despite the increased need for mental health care.
In the study, Jennifer Hoffman, MD, assistant professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Emergency Medicine, and her collaborators reviewed hospital data between 2017 and 2020 from across the country. Then, the team mapped pediatric inpatient psychiatric beds per 100,000 children by state in 2020. They also assessed how the availability of beds in each state was related to median household income, percentage of children in rural areas, and pediatric racial and ethnic composition to assess for inequities in access to care.
