The prevalence of mental health disorders in children and adolescents presenting to primary care providers has increased during and since the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the need for more support for providers and families in identifying and treating these conditions, which challenge them daily. Our online educational web series aims to bridge this gap by offering critical mental health support and guidance for distressed children and families during and after the COVID-19 outbreak. This initiative provides accessible, evidence-based information on various mental health topics, including depression, anxiety, autism spectrum disorders, disruptive behaviors, and ADHD, tailored for primary care providers and as valuable information to the general public. As an online platform, these resources are widely available, improving the capacity of primary care providers to address mental health issues effectively. We recommend these free resources to primary care providers and the public as a valuable tool for enhancing mental health care knowledge and delivery to benefit children and adolescents.
References
[1]
National Institute of Mental Health: Major Depression. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/major-depression
[2]
Wang, S., et al. (2022) Depression and Anxiety among Children and Adolescents Pre and Post-COVID-19: A Comparative Meta-Analysis. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 13, Article 917552.
[3]
Kessler, R.C. and Merikangas, K.R. (2004) The National Comorbidity Survey Replication (NCS‐R): Background and Aims. InternationalJournalofMethodsinPsychiatricResearch, 13, 60-68. https://doi.org/10.1002/mpr.166
[4]
Sappenfield, O., Alberto, C., Minnaert, J., et al. (2023) Adolescent Mental and Behavioral Health, 2023. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK608531/
[5]
Rushton, J.L., Clark, S.J. and Freed, G.L. (2000) Pediatrician and Family Physician Prescription of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors. Pediatrics, 105, e82-e82. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.105.6.e82
[6]
Shain, B., Braverman, P.K., Adelman, W.P., Alderman, E.M., Breuner, C.C., Levine, D.A., et al. (2016) Suicide and Suicide Attempts in Adolescents. Pediatrics, 138, e20161420. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2016-1420
[7]
Heron, M. (2016) Deaths: Leading Causes for 2014. National Center for Health Statistics.
Penn State Psychiatry Faculty Presentations. http://childadvocate.net/mental-health-treatment-video-from-penn-state/
[10]
Alizadeh, S., Shahrousvand, S., Sepandi, M. and Alimohamadi, Y. (2023) Prevalence of Anxiety, Depression and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms in Children and Adolescents during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. JournalofPublicHealth. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10389-023-02168-w
