Women and young people have faced increased behavioral health challenges since before the pandemic, according to a new report, which assessed the state of well-being for women and children.
The study from the United Health Foundation looked at more than 100 measures, from physical health to emotional, social and behavioral health determinants.
Dr. Ravi Johar, chief medical officer with UnitedHealthcare, said mental distress among women, teens and children has been on the rise.
"A little over 18% of women in the United States said that out of the last 30 days, they did not feel mentally well for 14 of those," Johar reported. "So, for more than half the month, one in five women did not feel well."
Nationwide, teen suicide has jumped 26% since 2014. The report found more than 7,000 kids ages 15 to 19 ended their lives in the two years before the pandemic began.
Dr. Laine Young-Walker, child psychiatrist and chair of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Missouri, said it is important to address the long-standing shortage of mental-health professionals, especially psychiatrists.
"We know that there's not enough child psychiatrists to take care of the need, and that many families will go to their PCP (primary care physician) first," Young-Walker explained. "Maybe they won't seek out mental health because of stigma. So, if we can support primary-care providers, I think that's another tool."
Young-Walker added there are also disparities in access to mental health support. She noted young white people with depression are more likely to be treated than Black or Latino youth. She emphasized it is necessary to identify the barriers to getting that care.
"Because there's a shortage to begin with, there is definitively a shortage of people that are Black and brown that may be able to help and support patients that look like them," Young-Walker stated. "One of the things that prevents patients and family from seeking help is that they don't see anybody that looks like them."
Access to health insurance can also be a barrier to care. The report noted Missouri ranks 38th for uninsured children, and found nearly 15% of women in the state are uninsured.
