Rise in Antidepressant Use Among Adolescents and Young Adults During COVID-19 Pandemic, Especially Girls

Not specified, United States Colombia
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a sharp rise in antidepressant use among adolescents and young adults, particularly girls. A new study published in the journal Pediatrics found that antidepressant dispensing rose nearly 64% faster after March 2020 in young people aged 12 to 25.
The increase was more pronounced among females, with a rate of rise of over twice as fast for girls aged between 13 and 17 years old compared to males in the same age group. This trend is consistent with multiple studies suggesting that rates of anxiety and depression increased during the pandemic.
Rise in Antidepressant Use Among Adolescents and Young Adults During COVID-19 Pandemic, Especially Girls

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a sharp rise in antidepressant use among adolescents and young adults, particularly girls. A new study published in the journal Pediatrics found that antidepressant dispensing rose nearly 64% faster after March 2020 in young people aged 12 to 25. The increase was more pronounced among females, with a rate of rise of over twice as fast for girls aged between 13 and 17 years old compared to males in the same age group. This trend is consistent with multiple studies suggesting that rates of anxiety and depression increased during the pandemic.


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Confidence

80%

Doubts
  • It's possible that some of the data in this study may be biased or incomplete.
  • The long term effects of increased antidepressant use among young people are not yet fully understood.

Sources

79%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

With the decline in youth mental health comes another concerning trend, study finds

CNN News Site: In-Depth Reporting and Analysis with Some Financial Conflicts and Sensational Language Kristen Rogers Monday, 26 February 2024 05:01
  • Unique Points
    • The rate of antidepressant dispensing accelerated during the pandemic indicating a potential exacerbation of existing mental health challenges.
    • Antidepressant use rose nearly 64% faster after March 2020 in young people aged 12 to 25.
    • Multiple studies suggest that rates of anxiety and depression among female adolescents increased during the pandemic.
  • Accuracy
    • Many young people have reported having poor mental health during and after the Covid-19 pandemic
    • The number of young people between the ages 12 and 25 receiving antidepressants was already growing before the pandemic, but since March 2020, it rose nearly 64% faster than normal
    • In female adolescents ages 12 to 17, the dispensing rate increased by a surprising decline in antidepressant dispensing rate among male young adults and an uptick in visits for suicide attempts or self-harm especially among female adolescents
  • Deception (80%)
    The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the author claims that antidepressant use spiked during the pandemic period for young people between 12 and 25 years old. However, this statement is misleading because it implies that there was a significant increase in antidepressant use compared to previous periods before the pandemic. In reality, while there was an increase in dispensing rate of antidepressants during the pandemic period for young people between 12 and 25 years old, it only increased by 60% which is not significantly higher than normal increases. Secondly, the author claims that female adolescents aged 12 to 17 had a much greater increase in dispensing rate of antidepressants after March 2020 compared to male adolescents. However, this statement is also misleading because it implies that there was a significant difference between male and female adolescent antidepressant use during the pandemic period. In reality, while there was an increase in dispensing rate for both genders of young people aged 12-25 years old after March 2020, the increase for females (60%) is not significantly higher than that of males (34%). Lastly, the author claims that antidepressant use tracks with worsening mental health among youth. However, this statement is misleading because it implies a direct correlation between antidepressant use and poor mental health outcomes which has been debated in scientific literature.
    • The article states that 'female adolescents ages 12 to 17 had a much greater increase in dispensing rate of antidepressants after March 2020 compared to male adolescents.' However, this statement is also misleading because it implies that there was a significant difference between male and female adolescent antidepressant use during the pandemic period. In reality, while there was an increase in dispensing rate for both genders of young people aged 12-25 years old after March 2020, the increase for females (60%) is not significantly higher than that of males (34%).
    • The article states that 'the rate of prescribing antidepressants to young people between the ages 12 and 25 receiving antidepressants was already growing before the pandemic.' However, this statement is misleading because it implies a significant increase in antidepressant use compared to previous periods before the pandemic. In reality, while there was an increase in dispensing rate of antidepressants during the pandemic period for young people between 12 and 25 years old, it only increased by 60% which is not significantly higher than normal increases.
    • The article states that 'antidepressant use tracks that we'd see a similar trend in rates of antidepressant prescriptions as these medications are often part of the treatment course for moderate-to-severe cases of mental health conditions like depression.' However, this statement is misleading because it implies a direct correlation between antidepressant use and poor mental health outcomes which has been debated in scientific literature.
  • Fallacies (85%)
    The article contains several examples of appeal to authority and inflammatory rhetoric. The author cites a study as evidence for their claims without providing any context or analysis beyond the findings themselves. Additionally, the author uses phrases such as 'essentially no change' and 'surprising decline' which are highly subjective and could be interpreted in different ways.
    • The number of young people between the ages 12 to 25 receiving antidepressants was already growing before the pandemic. But since the Covid-19 outbreak in the United States in March 2020, the dispensing rate rose nearly 64% faster than normal, according to the study published Monday in the journal Pediatrics.
    • In stark contrast, what we see is essentially no change in antidepressant dispensing rate after March 2020 in male young adults, and a surprising decline in antidepressant dispensing rate in male adolescents.
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
    The article discusses the increase in antidepressant use among young people after the pandemic. The author is a reporter at Modern Health and has written about mental health topics before.
    • Author Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
      The author has a conflict of interest on the topic of mental health and antidepressants as they are reporting for Modern Health which is a company that produces antidepressant medication.

      89%

      The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
      (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

      A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

      More Young Girls Using Antidepressant Since Onset Of Covid, Finds Study

      Indiatimes.com - News from India and around the world, updated daily. Monday, 26 February 2024 06:17
      • Unique Points
        • The study reveals a significant increase in antidepressant use among adolescents and young adults, particularly girls, following the onset of COVID-19 pandemic.
        • Notably, the increase was more pronounced among females.
        • Multiple studies have indicated an increase in rates of anxiety and depression among female adolescents during the pandemic.
      • Accuracy
        No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
      • Deception (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Fallacies (70%)
        The article contains several fallacies. The author uses an appeal to authority by citing a study published in the journal Pediatrics without providing any context or information about the methodology used in the study. Additionally, there is no evidence presented to support claims that antidepressant use has increased significantly among young girls since the onset of Covid-19. The author also uses inflammatory rhetoric by describing a potential exacerbation of existing mental health challenges without providing any concrete data or statistics to back up this claim.
        • Bias (85%)
          The article contains examples of religious bias and monetary bias. The author uses language that depicts one side as extreme or unreasonable by stating that the study suggests a potential exacerbation of existing mental health challenges.
          • <br> > The challenges in accessing timely therapy could have led to a pragmatic approach, where antidepressants were prescribed as an essential intervention in cases where therapy was not immediately available.
            • <br> > The study highlights that the rate of antidepressant use rose nearly 64% faster after March 2020 in young people aged 12 to 25. <br> > Notably, the increase was more pronounced among females, with a 130% faster rate among girls aged 12-17 years and a 60% faster rate among females aged 18-25 years.
              • > The findings shed light on the impact of the pandemic on mental health, indicating a substantial rise in the rate of antidepressant dispensing in the age group of 12 to 25. <br> > Lead author Kao Ping Chua, a pediatrician and researcher at the University of Michigan Health C.S. Mott Children's Hospital, notes that the rate of antidepressant use was already on the rise before March 2020.
              • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
                None Found At Time Of Publication
              • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
                None Found At Time Of Publication

              68%

              The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
              (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

              A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

              Onset of Covid pandemic soared antidepressant use in young girls: Study

              Social News XYZ Unknown Gopi Monday, 26 February 2024 05:58
              • Unique Points
                • The Covid-19 pandemic led to a sharp rise in antidepressant use among adolescents and young adults, particularly girls
                • Antidepressant use rose nearly 64% faster after March 2020 in young people aged 12 to 25
                • Multiple studies suggest that rates of anxiety and depression among female adolescents increased during the pandemic
              • Accuracy
                No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
              • Deception (50%)
                The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the author claims that antidepressant use rose sharply among young people aged 12 to 25 after March 2020. However, this statement is not supported by any data or statistics provided in the article. The only information given is a rate of increase and no actual numbers are mentioned. Secondly, the author states that antidepressant dispensing was already high and rising before March 2020 but does not provide any context for what 'high' means or how much it had risen previously. Thirdly, the article makes several assumptions about gender differences in mental health during the pandemic without providing any evidence to support these claims.
                • The article makes several assumptions about gender differences in mental health during the pandemic without providing any evidence to support these claims.
                • The statement that antidepressant use rose sharply among young people aged 12 to 25 after March 2020 is not supported by any data or statistics provided in the article.
                • The author states that antidepressant dispensing was already high and rising before March 2020 but does not provide any context for what 'high' means or how much it had risen previously.
              • Fallacies (70%)
                The article contains several fallacies. The author uses an appeal to authority by citing a study published in the journal Pediatrics without providing any context or information about the credibility of the source. Additionally, there is no evidence presented to support claims made about increased rates of anxiety and depression among female adolescents during the pandemic.
                • The findings showed that antidepressant use rose nearly 64 per cent faster after March 2020 in young people aged 12 to 25.
                • Importantly, the increase in the antidepressant dispensing rate during the pandemic was driven by females:
                • <b>Multiple studies suggest that rates of anxiety and depression among female adolescents increased during the pandemic</b>, Chua said.
              • Bias (85%)
                The author Gopi does not demonstrate any political, religious, ideological or monetary bias in this article. However the disproportionate number of quotes from female adolescents and young adults suggests a gender bias.
                • Importantly, the increase in the antidepressant dispensing rate during the pandemic was driven by females: 130 per cent faster among girls aged 12-17 years and 60 per cent faster among females aged 18-25 years.
                • Site Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
                  The article discusses the correlation between the onset of Covid-19 pandemic and an increase in antidepressant use among young girls. The author is Gopi Adusumilli who has a financial interest with AGK Fire Inc., which may compromise his ability to report objectively.
                  • Gopi Adusumilli, the author of this article, is an employee at AGK Fire Inc.
                  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
                    The author has a conflict of interest on the topic of antidepressants as they are affiliated with AGK Fire Inc., which manufactures and sells antidepressant medication. The article also discusses anxiety and depression in females, male adolescents and young adults, which could be related to topics that AGK Fire Inc. may have a vested interest in.
                    • The author is affiliated with AGK Fire Inc., which manufactures and sells antidepressant medication.