ADHD, anxiety disorders and adjustment disorder accounted for most of the increases in pediatric mental health spending and utilization during the COVID-19 pandemic, a study published Oct. 3 in JAMA Health Forum found.
The study compared rates of utilization for the five most common mental health diagnoses among commercially insured children from January 2019 to August 2022.
From January 2019 to August 2022, mental health service utilization increased by 21.7 percent while overall spending increased by 27.1 percent among commercially insured children. Rates and trends were generally consistent across mental health diagnoses, the study found.
The study was conducted by researchers at the Santa Monica, Calif.-based Rand Corporation. Read the full study here.