Racial Disparities Seen in Unmet Treatment Needs for Pediatric Mental Health

Follow Drugslib on

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com.

By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, Dec. 5, 2023 -- For children with mental health conditions, there are racial and ethnic disparities in unmet treatment needs, according to a study published online Dec. 5 in Pediatrics.

Andrew R. Chang, from Harvard Medical School, and Natalie Slopen, Sc.D., from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, both in Boston, used data from 172,107 participants from the nationally representative National Survey of Children's Health, from 2016 to 2021, to examine unmet mental health needs.

The researchers found that non-Hispanic Black children had greater odds of unmet needs than non-Hispanic White children (adjusted odds ratio, 1.56; 95 percent confidence interval, 1.18 to 2.05). Heterogeneous patterns were revealed on models disaggregated by specific mental health conditions. Specifically, non-Hispanic Black children had elevated odds of unmet needs for behavioral problems relative to non-Hispanic White children (adjusted odds ratio, 1.41; 95 percent confidence interval, 1.00 to 2.02), while increased odds of anxiety were seen in Asian and Hispanic children (adjusted odds ratios [95 percent confidence intervals], 2.60 [1.20 to 4.29] and 1.41 [1.05 to 1.90], respectively).

"Our study highlights the specific racial and ethnic minority groups that are clinically underserved across four mental health conditions," the authors write.

Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

Source: HealthDay

Posted : 2023-12-06 00:37

Read more

Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

Popular Keywords