A new study shows the lack of treatment for many of the nation’s teenagers. Less than half, approximately, of teens with severe disorders received any treatment at all. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and conduct disorders were treated most often. Only about 20% of teens with anxiety or substance use disorder were treated, with fewer black and Hispanic than white teens receiving service.
The researchers emphasize that the lack of mental health professionals who deal with adolescents is a problem that will likely worsen as more currently uninsured groups become insured.
A new study shows the lack of treatment for many of the nation’s teenagers. Less than half, approximately, of teens with severe disorders received any treatment at all. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and conduct disorders were treated most often. Only about 20% of teens with anxiety or substance use disorder were treated, with fewer black and Hispanic than white teens receiving service.
The researchers emphasize that the lack of mental health professionals who deal with adolescents is a problem that will likely worsen as more currently uninsured groups become insured.
Do you think the reasons that fewer minorities receive services are chiefly cultural (e.g., seeing a psychologist implies weakness) or financial reasons? The recent shooting in Arizona begs the question of how we could have kept the perpetrator in the system and receiving treatment, once he had been identified at an earlier stage of disorder development.
Even with more professionals available for these adolescents, do you think there will still be large numbers that will not receive treatment? Why or why not? Does it seem to you that the teen disorders receiving the most attention and treatment are those that seem to “bother” teachers?
For full article:
http://health.msn.com/health-topics/anxiety/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100269217
