Massachusetts Child Anxiety Diagnoses Jump 300% in Primary Care Visits Over 10 Years
Updated
Updated · studyfinds.com · May 21
Massachusetts Child Anxiety Diagnoses Jump 300% in Primary Care Visits Over 10 Years
2 articles · Updated · studyfinds.com · May 21
Anxiety codes appeared in 6.1% of Massachusetts pediatric primary care visits by early 2023, up from 1.7% in 2014, according to a JAMA Network Open study of insurance billing records.
9.7 out of every 100 insured children had a primary care visit with any mental health diagnosis in a given quarter by 2023, up from 5.9 in 2014, even as total visits slipped to 54.8 from 58.9 per 100.
ADHD remained the most common diagnosis throughout the decade, rising to 6.7% of visits from 5.0%, while autism, depression, and trauma- or stress-related diagnoses also increased.
More than 37 million records covering nearly 1.85 million Massachusetts children suggest pediatricians are handling a growing share of mental health needs, though the authors say the rise may reflect both greater need and better screening.
The researchers said the findings support more mental health training and integrated care in pediatric practices, while cautioning that billing data from one state cannot confirm a true rise in childhood anxiety prevalence.
As pediatricians diagnose more mental health issues, are we seeing a true crisis or a shift in medical labeling?
Integrated care is the proposed solution, but can it fix a system broken by a severe shortage of specialists?
Massachusetts Child Anxiety Diagnoses Up 70% Since 2014: Unpacking Causes, Disparities, and Policy Solutions
Overview
Over the past decade, Massachusetts has seen a sharp rise in pediatric mental health visits, with rates increasing from 5.7% in 2014 to 9.7% in 2023. This surge highlights a growing demand for mental health support among children. The increase was most notable among non-Hispanic White and Hispanic youths, while non-Hispanic Black youths did not see a similar trend, suggesting differences in access to care or diagnosis patterns across racial and ethnic groups. However, the findings are based on insured children and insurance claims data, which may not fully capture all cases or reflect the experiences of uninsured populations.