Unmet treatment needs for mental health vary by child’s condition, race and ethnicity, study finds

A study, “Racial and Ethnic Disparities for Unmet Needs by Mental Health Condition: 2016-2021,” published in the January 2024 Pediatrics examines gaps in treatment among children with depression, anxiety, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and behavioral problems. 

The study found disparities among children of different races and ethnicities that varied by condition and persisted after controlling for socioeconomic characteristics. The study analyzed data on 172,107 children ages 3-17 years provided by the National Survey of Children’s Health over the six-year period. 

Prior research has shown that nearly half of U.S. children do not receive care for a treatable mental health condition, and children from marginalized racial and ethnic groups have lower treatment rates than their white counterparts. In this study, children with mental health conditions were classified as currently having unmet mental health treatment needs if their caregivers reported the children not receiving treatment over the past year but needing to see a mental health professional. 

The findings revealed higher odds of unmet needs among Hispanic and Asian children with anxiety and Black children with behavioral problems, as compared with white children with the same conditions. 

The authors conclude that the findings identify clinically underserved racial and ethnic groups for specific mental health conditions. They suggest that practitioners can improve gaps in care by devoting greater attention and resources to the mental health needs of underserved groups.

The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 67,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults.