Over 30 million children and adolescents in Europe live with a mental disorder.
Mental illness affects around one in seven children and adolescents or 13.86% in the World Health Organization (WHO) European Region, with girls bearing the brunt. Typically, one in four teenagers aged 15–19 years experiences a mental disorder.
Suicide remains the leading cause of death among young people aged 15–29, although rates have fallen since 2000. Boys are more likely to die from a suicide attempt than girls.
The occurrence of mental disorders in people aged 0-19 has increased by 34% since 2010 and the incidence of anxiety disorder has almost doubled (86.66%) in the same period, exceeding 15 million, followed by depression which affects more than 4.4 million and 3.7 million suffer from attention disorders.
However, the services provided do not keep pace with the growing needs.
The report draws attention to a critical priority that will determine the future of the European Region
These figures are reported in the first report of the WHO Europe office on the mental health of children and adolescents in the countries of the European region of the Organization, highlighting the significant and growing needs, but also the critical gaps in the quality and accessibility of mental health services.
The report, entitled "Child and youth mental health in the WHO European Region: Current status and actions to strengthen the quality of care", was presented by the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Europe, through its Office for Quality of Care and Patient Safety in Athens and the Mental Health and Wellbeing (MHW) Group.
Time for resilient systems
"This report is a resounding call to action in the WHO European Region. Every child and young person has a right to supportive mental health services and quality care. By taking action now, countries can build resilient systems that will help future generations prosper," said Head of the WHO Office for Quality of Care and Patient Safety in Athens and Special Envoy and Head of the WHO Office in Greece Dr João Breda.
For her part, WHO Europe's Regional Adviser for Mental Health, Dr. Ledia Lazëri, underlined that "For the first time, WHO Europe gathers detailed and in-depth data on the mental health of children and young people in a single report. Researchers, policy makers and health professionals can use this evidence to design services, formulate policies and monitor and evaluate interventions. This report is a milestone – it draws attention to a critical priority that will determine the future of our Region."
According to the report, in the WHO European Region:
1 in 4 countries do not have outpatient mental health services for children, adolescents and young people. 2 out of 3 countries do not have school health services. 1 in 5 countries do not have a specially formulated policy for the mental health of these groups. The quality of care varies greatly in the Region. In the countries of the Region there is one psychiatrist per 76,000 children and adolescents. 2 in 3 countries have a mechanism for evaluating child and adolescent health services Half of the countries have services to guide the transition of children with mental health conditions to adult mental health services 4 in 5 countries have free mental health services, although differences in the cost of care differ significantly in countries that do not provide free care. 9 actions for better care
The report calls for immediate and coordinated action to close existing gaps and ensure that all children and young people have access to quality, personalized mental health care.
The report sets out nine key actions to deliver progress in child, adolescent and maternal care:
Development and coordination of national action plans, as well as legislative arrangements. Integrating incentives and funding to improve quality of care. Defining quality standards, protocols and clinical guidelines of care. Adopting a culture of continuous improvement in the quality of care at all stages of the health and welfare system. Redesigning the way and effectiveness of the services provided based on the needs of children, young people and their carers. Promoting the active participation and empowerment of children, youth, families and communities. Investment in human resources that meets the needs of the population. Measuring key mental health care outcomes for children and their families. Enhancing research and sharing experiences around proven effective child care methods and adolescent health.
Source: in.gr
