More teens and young adults prescribed antidepressants

March 6, 2024

Dotted red line represents the pre-pandemic rate of projected increase. Source: Chua, et al Pediatrics February 26, 2024 LINK

The COVID-19 pandemic was clearly associated with worsening mental health. This week, the journal Pediatrics published data showing that the rate of antidepressant prescriptions for those ages 12-25 were already increasing from 2016 to 2019, and that this increase accelerated in the months since the beginning of the pandemic. The entirety of this acceleration in increase was driven by more prescriptions for antidepressants among females ages 12-17 (up 130%) and women ages 18-25 (up 57%). The rate of antidepressant prescription in males ages 12-25 continued to rise but did not accelerate. Researchers used the IQVIA all-payer claims database that includes data on over 90% of antidepressant prescriptions filled at US pharmacies.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported last year that suicide rates for those ages 10-24 rose substantial from 2018-2021, from 8.2 to 11.2 deaths per 100,000. The CDC data did not report on gender differences, but racial differences were stark.

Source: Stone, et al CDC, February, 2023 LINK

Implications for employers:

• Mental health of teens and young adults has deteriorated since the pandemic.

• On one hand, it is good to see more young women gaining access to medical care for depression, although about 30% of those with depression do not receive good relief from antidepressants.

• On the other hand, it is worrisome that the rate of young men being medically treated for depression has not increased, especially since young men are far more likely to successfully commit suicide.

• Finding mental health clinicians for teens and young adults is often difficult, and this data suggests that finding appropriate mental health care might be especially challenging for young people of color.

• This data supports employer commitments to redouble efforts to make mental health care and navigation accessible for employees and their dependents.

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