Health
From 2004 to 2019, There was no Change in Depression in Children Worldwide
(CTN News) – According to an analysis published online on Aug. 28 in JAMA Paediatrics, depression in children under 13 is uncommon and did not grow significantly between 2004 and 2019.
Michael J. Spoelma Review on Depression in Children
Michael J. Spoelma of Australia’s University of New South Wales and colleagues conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of 41 studies published between 2004 and 2019 that provided prevalence estimates for depressive disorders (i.e., major depressive disorder [MDD], dysthymia, and disruptive mood dysregulation disorder [DMDD]) in children under the age of 13.
Based on 41 studies in children worldwide, the researchers discovered that the pooled prevalence estimates for depressive disorders overall were 1.07 percent, 0.71 percent for MDD, 0.30 percent for dysthymia, and 1.60 percent for DMDD.
No significant variations were based on birth cohort, males against females, or high– versus low-income countries. Except for DMDD, which was limited by a lack of research, the risk of bias was minimal overall.
“These findings suggest that depression in childhood was uncommon and did not increase over time between 2004 and 2019, but the lack of data beyond the COVID-19 pandemic remains unaccounted for,” the authors write.
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