ArticlePLOS digital health2024
Six-year (2016-2022) longitudinal patterns of mental health service utilization rates among children developmentally vulnerable in kindergarten and the COVID-19 pandemic disruption.
Article in PLOS digital health, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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11 authors.
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Abstract
introductionIn the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, it becomes important to comprehend service utilization patterns and evaluate disparities in mental health-related service access among children.
objectiveThis study uses administrative health records to investigate the association between early developmental vulnerability and healthcare utilization among children in Alberta, Canada from 2016 to 2022.
methodsChildren who participated in the 2016 Early Development Instrument (EDI) assessment and were covered by public Alberta health insurance were included (N = 23 494). Linear regression models were employed to investigate the association between service utilization and vulnerability and biological sex. Separate models were used to assess vulnerability specific to each developmental domain and vulnerability across multiple domains. The service utilization was compared between pre- and post-pandemic onset periods.
resultsThe analysis reveals a significant decrease in all health services utilization from 2016 to 2019, followed by an increase until 2022. Vulnerable children had, on average, more events than non-vulnerable children. There was a consistent linear increase in mental health-related utilization from 2016 to 2022, with male children consistently experiencing higher utilization rates than females, particularly among vulnerable children. Specifically, there was a consistent linear increase in the utilization of anxiety-related services by children from 2016 to 2022, with females having, on average, 25 more events than males. The utilization of ADHD-related services showed different patterns for each group, with vulnerable male children having more utilization than their peers.
conclusionUtilizing population-wide data, our study reveals sex specific developmental vulnerabilities and its impact on children's mental health service utilization during the COVID-19 pandemic, contributing to the existing literature. With data from kindergarten, we emphasize the need for early and targeted intervention strategies, especially for at-risk children, offering a path to reduce the burden of childhood mental health disorders.
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