As the COVID-19 incident prolonged, the number of children and adolescents suffering from depression and anxiety disorders increased.
(Picture from Unsplash)
According to the "Status of Child and Youth Depression and Anxiety Disorder Treatment" data submitted by a member of the National Health and Welfare Committee on the 17th, the number of children and adolescents (23,590) treated for anxiety disorders last year jumped 39.6% compared to 2019 (16,895) before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Last year, the number of children and adolescents treated for depression was 39,868, an increase of 18.9% from 2019 (33,536).
As a result of analyzing children and adolescents with depression by age group, elementary school students were the most prominent age group.
The number of elementary school students (3,857) who received depression treatment last year increased by 32.6% compared to 2019 (2,908) before COVID-19.
The age group with a high rate of depression growth was followed by ▷ high school students (21%), ▷ middle school students (10.5%), ▷ infants (3.1%).
Treatment for anxiety disorders also saw the largest increase in elementary school students since COVID-19.
Last year, the number of elementary school students with anxiety disorder was 4,136, up 46.7% from 2019 (2,820).
During the same period, the number of middle school student anxiety disorder patients increased 44.4% from 3,811 to 5,503, and the number of high school student anxiety disorder patients increased 36.8% from 9,481 to 12,969. During this period, the number of patients with infant anxiety disorder increased 25.4% from 783 to 982.
Rep. Shin Hyun-young said, "It has been confirmed that the prolonged COVID-19 is steadily affecting the mental health of children and adolescents," adding, "The social disconnection caused by COVID-19 seems to have greatly affected children and adolescents whose sense of belonging is important, worsening depression and anxiety."
He added, "In the era of repeated infectious diseases, prevention and treatment infrastructure according to the characteristics of each age group is needed so that not only the physical health of children and adolescents but also the mental health can be cared for."
Writer: Yeyoung Jeon
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