Emergency room visits for mental health conditions, suicide-related behaviors and drug overdoses among adolescents decreased from 2021 to 2022, according to a report published May 12 by the CDC.
The CDC examined ED visit data for adolescents ages 12 to 17 from facilities consistently reporting data to the National Syndromic Surveillance Program from January 2019 to February 2023.
Here are five key findings from the report:
1. There were an average of 6,441 ER visits for all mental health conditions in the fall of 2022, a decrease of 11 percent compared to fall of 2021.
2. There were an average of 1,874 weekly ER visits among adolescents related to anxiety, a decrease of 12 percent compared to 2021 levels.
3. There were an average of 2,584 weekly ER visits among adolescents related to depressive disorders, a decrease of 18 percent compared to 2021 levels.
4. There were an average of 1,038 visits for suspected suicide attempts, 220 fewer than that of fall 2021 — a decrease of 17 percent.
5. There were an average of 862 visits for drug overdoses, a decrease of 10 percent year over year.