Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42609734›Full record

ArticleThe Lancet regional health. Western Pacific2026

Rates and impact of mental disorders among Australian youth: prevalence, severity, and trends from two national psychiatric surveys.

Louise Birrell, Tim Slade, Sam Jones, Matthew Sunderland, Lucinda Grummitt, Lexine Stapinski, Katrina Prior, Georgie Berry, Ivana Kihas, Nicola C Newton and 3 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in The Lancet regional health. Western Pacific, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Not snowflakes: Gen Z reflections on rising youth mental ill-health.The Lancet regional health. Western Pacific · 2026
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Louise BirrellThe Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, The University of Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia.
Tim SladeThe Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, The University of Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia.
Sam JonesThe Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, The University of Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia.
Matthew SunderlandThe Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, The University of Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia.
Lucinda GrummittThe Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, The University of Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia.
Lexine StapinskiThe Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, The University of Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia.
Katrina PriorThe Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, The University of Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia.
Georgie BerryThe Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, The University of Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia.
Ivana KihasThe Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, The University of Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia.
Nicola C NewtonThe Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, The University of Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia.
Julia MacauleyThe Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, The University of Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia.
Maree TeessonThe Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, The University of Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia.
Cath ChapmanThe Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, The University of Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Mental disorders are leading contributors to disease burden among young people. Recent evidence suggests rising rates of these disorders, yet no recent national comparisons using diagnostic interviews have examined changes in individual disorder prevalence among Australian youth over time. This study provides current estimates of prevalence, patterns, severity, and profiles of mental disorders among Australians aged 16-24, comparing data from 2007 to 2020-2022. Methods: Data were drawn from the 2020-2022 National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing (NSMHWB) and compared with the 2007 NSMHWB. A nationally representative sample of 16-24-year-olds completed the WMH-CIDI to assess 12-month DSM-IV mood, anxiety, and substance use disorders, along with measures of severity, comorbidity, suicidality and disability. Analyses were population-weighted and accounted for complex survey design. Temporal changes were examined using logistic and proportional odds regression. Findings: The 12-month prevalence of mental disorders increased from 23.4% in 2007 to 36.2% in 2020-2022 (OR 1.86, 95%CI 1.53-2.25). Mental disorders continue to be more common in females, but increases were also observed for males. Anxiety disorders nearly tripled (12.2% to 29.1%; OR 2.94, 95% CI 2.33-3.71), and mood disorders rose from 4.9% to 13.3% (OR 3.01, 95% CI 2.16-4.20), while substance use disorders declined (12.34% to 7.76%; OR 0.60, 95% CI 0.44-0.80). Comorbidity, severity, suicidal thoughts, psychological distress, and disability also rose, with one in five experiencing multiple disorders in 2020-2022. Interpretation: Mental disorders among Australian youth have increased markedly since 2007, with greater severity and functional impairment. Funding: The Australian National Health and Medical Research Council.

Indexed as

Anxiety disordersEpidemiologyMental healthMood disordersPrevalenceSubstance useYouth

Identifiers

PMID42609734
PMCPMC13478814

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.