Routine Depression Screening Urged for American Teens

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force is recommending that doctors regularly screen all American teenagers for depression, citing that nearly 2 million teens are affected by this debilitating condition. The task force's guidelines, published in the journal Pediatrics, go further than the American Academy of Pediatrics' own guidance for teen depression screening, acknowledging that depression can lead to persistent sadness, social isolation, school problems, and even suicide. The task force recommends using detailed but simple questionnaires to diagnose depression in primary-care settings, followed by treatment, including psychotherapy, to improve symptoms and help kids cope.

Key Takeaways:

• The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends routine screening for all American teenagers for depression, as nearly 2 million teens are affected by this condition.
• The task force's guidelines, published in the journal Pediatrics, go beyond the American Academy of Pediatrics' own guidance for teen depression screening.
• An estimated 6 percent of U.S. teenagers are clinically depressed, and evidence shows that screening can help improve symptoms and help kids cope when followed by treatment.
• The task force recommends using detailed but simple questionnaires to diagnose depression in primary-care settings, followed by psychotherapy, to improve symptoms and help kids cope.
• Routing depression testing should only occur if psychotherapy is also readily available, and antidepressants should not be used as the sole treatment.
• The recommendations come at a pivotal time for treatment of depression and other mental health problems in children, as federal mental health equity legislation mandates equal coverage for mental and physical ailments in insurance plans.
• A separate report recommends that pediatricians should routinely consult with child psychiatrists and that insurers should compensate pediatricians for any mental health services they provide.
• Pediatricians can play a key role in mental health care, as they often get to know the child's family and can provide mental health screening in a non-stigmatizing way.
• Professor Alan Axelson, a Pittsburgh psychiatrist, praised the task force recommendations, saying that pediatricians can fill out screening questionnaires while patients are in the waiting room, and can easily spot any red flags.

Statistics:

• An estimated 2 million teens are affected by depression in the United States.
• 6% of U.S. teenagers are clinically depressed.
• 6% of U.S. teenagers are clinically depressed.
• Routine depression testing is recommended to be done once a year.

Sources:

• U.S. Preventive Services Task Force: http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/USpstfix.htm
• American Academy of Pediatrics: http://www.aap.org/
• American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry: http://www.aacap.org/