Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38150420›Full record

ArticlePloS one2023

Time trends in self-reported depressive symptoms, prescription of antidepressants, sedatives and hypnotics and the emergence of social media among Norwegian adolescents.

Lars Lien, Tore Bonsaksen, Tonje Holte Stea, Annette Løvheim Kleppang, Anne Mari Steigen, Marja Leonhardt

Erratum issuedAbstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. Cited by 11 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
11citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

11 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Lars LienFaculty of Social and Health Sciences, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Elverum, Norway.ORCID 0000-0002-0480-9208
Tore BonsaksenFaculty of Social and Health Sciences, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Elverum, Norway.ORCID 0000-0001-6315-1111
Tonje Holte SteaDepartment of Health and Nursing Science, University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway.
Annette Løvheim KleppangFaculty of Social and Health Sciences, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Elverum, Norway.
Anne Mari SteigenFaculty of Social and Health Sciences, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Elverum, Norway.
Marja LeonhardtNorwegian National Advisory Unit on Concurrent Substance Abuse and Mental Health Disorders, Innlandet Hospital Trust, Brumunddal, Norway.ORCID 0000-0002-0528-3949

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundResearch has shown increased mental health problems and use of prescription drugs among adolescents in recent years and social media use has been linked to poorer mental health. However, trend studies concerning these topics are scarce. The purpose of this study was to analyze gender-specific trends in a) symptoms of depression and loneliness, and b) prescription of antidepressants, hypnotics and sedatives, in relation to the emergence of social media among adolescents in Norway.

methodsThis is an ecological study using data from the 'Young in Oslo' surveys from 1996 to 2021. The surveys included approximately 110 000 students, 14-17 years of age, and yielded a response rate varying from 95% in 1996 to 64% in 2021. A self-report questionnaire was used to collect information on symptoms of depression and loneliness. Information on antidepressant and sleep medication prescription was retrieved from the Norwegian Prescription Database for the age group 15 to 19 years. A graphical approach and logistic regression models were used to examine gender-specific time-trends between 1996 to 2021.

resultsWe found a doubling in self-reported symptoms of depression and loneliness among girls between 1996 and 2021, with the steepest increase in the period from 2006 to 2012, when Facebook and other social media were introduced. A similar trend was observed in the prescription of antidepressants among girls, with the steepest increase between 2011 and 2013. Among both boys and girls, 'worried too much about things' and 'had sleep problems' were the two symptoms with the greatest changes.

conclusionA significant upward trend in self-reported depressive symptoms and medication use was observed over the past 25 years, with variations in the rate of increase, including a steeper trajectory during certain periods immediately after the introduction of social media platforms in Norway.

Indexed as

Hypnotics and SedativesSocial MediaAdolescentAdultAntidepressive AgentsDepressionFemaleHumansMaleNorwayPrescriptionsSelf ReportYoung AdultAntidepressive AgentsHypnotics and Sedatives

Identifiers

PMID38150420
PMCPMC10752533

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.