Trends in Mental, Behavioral, and Developmental Disorders Among Children and Adolescents in the US, 2016-2021.

Introduction: Childhood mental, behavioral, and developmental disorders (MBDD) are common and are associated with poor health and well-being. Monitoring the prevalence of MBDDs among children and factors that may influence health outcomes is important to understanding risk and promoting population health.

Method: We examined trends in parent-reported lifetime MBDDs among children and associated health promotion and risk indicators from 2016 through 2021 by using data from the National Survey of Children's Health.

Prevalence of Positive Childhood Experiences and Associations with Current Anxiety, Depression, and Behavioral or Conduct Problems among U.S. Children Aged 6-17 Years.

Positive childhood experiences (PCEs) have substantial potential to improve children's mental health. We examined the prevalence of 26 specific PCEs, overall and by demographics, and the individual and cumulative effects of PCEs with current diagnosis of three mental health conditions using nationally representative, parent-reported data on U.S.

Mental health in undergraduate students several months into the COVID-19 pandemic compared to before the pandemic.

Objective: To compare mental health indicators among undergraduates in Fall 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic, and Fall 2020, when many students returned to campus amidst restrictions on in-person contact.

Participants: Analyses included 26,881 undergraduate students, aged 18-24, from 70 U.S.

Seasonal Trends in Emergency Department Visits for Mental and Behavioral Health Conditions Among Children and Adolescents Aged 5-17 Years - United States, January 2018-June 2023.

Mental and behavioral health conditions among school-aged children, including substance use disorders and overall emotional well-being, are a public health concern in the United States. Timely data on seasonal patterns in child and adolescent conditions can guide optimal timing of prevention and intervention strategies. CDC examined emergency department (ED) visit data from the National Syndromic Surveillance Program for 25 distinct conditions during January 2018-June 2023 among U.

Communication Preferences of Parents and Caregivers of Children and Youth With Special Healthcare Needs During a Hypothetical Infectious Disease Emergency.

Children and youth with special healthcare needs are at risk for severe consequences during infectious disease emergencies. Messages for parents and caregivers from trusted sources, via preferred channels, that contain the information they need, may improve health outcomes for this population. In this mixed methods study, we conducted a survey (N = 297) and 80 semistructured interviews, with 70 caregivers of children and youth and 10 young adults with special healthcare needs, between April 2018 and June 2019 in Pennsylvania.

Changes and Inequities in Adult Mental Health-Related Emergency Department Visits During the COVID-19 Pandemic in the US.

Importance: The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected adult mental health (MH), with racial and ethnic minoritized groups disproportionately affected.

Objective: To examine changes in adult MH-related emergency department (ED) visits into the Delta variant pandemic period and identify changes and inequities in these visits before and during COVID-19 case surges.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This epidemiologic cross-sectional study used National Syndromic Surveillance Program data from US adults aged 18 to 64 years from 1970 to 2352 ED facilities from January 1, 2019, to August 14, 2021.

Pediatric Emergency Department Visits Associated with Mental Health Conditions Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic - United States, January 2019-January 2022.

In 2021, a national emergency* for children's mental health was declared by several pediatric health organizations, and the U.S. Surgeon General released an advisory on mental health among youths.

Pediatric Emergency Department Visits Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic - United States, January 2019-January 2022.

Emergency departments (EDs) in the United States remain a frontline resource for pediatric health care emergencies during the COVID-19 pandemic; however, patterns of health-seeking behavior have changed during the pandemic (1,2). CDC examined changes in U.S.

Mental Health-Related Emergency Department Visits Among Children Aged <18 Years During the COVID-19 Pandemic - United States, January 1-October 17, 2020.

Published reports suggest that the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had a negative effect on children's mental health (1,2). Emergency departments (EDs) are often the first point of care for children experiencing mental health emergencies, particularly when other services are inaccessible or unavailable (3). During March 29-April 25, 2020, when widespread shelter-in-place orders were in effect, ED visits for persons of all ages declined 42% compared with the same period in 2019; during this time, ED visits for injury and non-COVID-19-related diagnoses decreased, while ED visits for psychosocial factors increased (4).

COVID-19 Mitigation Behaviors by Age Group - United States, April-June 2020.

CDC recommends a number of mitigation behaviors to prevent the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Those behaviors include 1) covering the nose and mouth with a mask to protect others from possible infection when in public settings and when around persons who live outside of one's household or around ill household members; 2) maintaining at least 6 feet (2 meters) of distance from persons who live outside one's household, and keeping oneself distant from persons who are ill; and 3) washing hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, or, if soap and water are not available, using hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol (1). Age has been positively associated with mask use (2), although less is known about other recommended mitigation behaviors.

COVID-19 Trends Among School-Aged Children - United States, March 1-September 19, 2020.

Approximately 56 million school-aged children (aged 5-17 years) resumed education in the United States in fall 2020.* Analysis of demographic characteristics, underlying conditions, clinical outcomes, and trends in weekly coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) incidence during March 1-September 19, 2020 among 277,285 laboratory-confirmed cases in school-aged children in the United States might inform decisions about in-person learning and the timing and scaling of community mitigation measures. During May-September 2020, average weekly incidence (cases per 100,000 children) among adolescents aged 12-17 years (37.

Support for Transition from Adolescent to Adult Health Care Among Adolescents With and Without Mental, Behavioral, and Developmental Disorders - United States, 2016-2017.

Clinical guidelines recommend that primary care providers (PCPs) provide guidance and support to ensure a planned transition from pediatric to adult health care for adolescents, beginning at age 12 years (1). However, most adolescents do not receive the recommended health care transition planning (2). This is particularly concerning for adolescents with diagnosed mental, behavioral, and developmental disorders (MBDDs) (3), who account for approximately 20% of U.

Indicators of Social Competence and Social Participation Among US Children With Tourette Syndrome.

Children with Tourette syndrome often have behavioral and social difficulties, which may be associated with co-occurring mental, emotional, or behavioral disorders. This study investigated social competence, including behavioral problems and social skills, and social activities between children with and without Tourette syndrome using a nationally representative sample. In the 2007 National Survey of Children's Health, parents reported on health care provider diagnosis of Tourette syndrome, co-occurring mental, emotional, or behavioral disorders, and indicators of social competence.

A Framework for Coordination between Obstetric and Pediatric Providers in Public Health Emergencies: Lessons Learned from the Zika Outbreak in the United States, 2015 to 2017.

Emergency response to emerging threats with the potential for vertical transmission, such as the 2015 to 2017 response to Zika virus, presents unique clinical challenges that underscore the need for better communication and care coordination between obstetric and pediatric providers to promote optimal health for women and infants. Published guidelines for routine maternal-infant care during the perinatal period, and models for transitions of care in various health care settings are available, but no broad framework has addressed coordinated multidisciplinary care of the maternal-infant dyad during emergency response. We present a novel framework and strategies to improve care coordination and communication during an emergency response.

Characteristics Associated With Presence of Pediatric Mental Health Care Policies in Emergency Departments.

Objectives: The majority of US children do not have access to an emergency department (ED) with a pediatric mental health care policy in place. Our objective was to understand factors associated with whether US EDs have a pediatric mental health care policy.

Methods: We analyzed data from the National Pediatric Readiness Project, a nationally representative cross-sectional survey of US EDs.

An Evaluation of the Literacy Demands of Online Natural Disaster Preparedness Materials for Families.

Objective: Natural disasters are becoming increasingly common, but it is unclear whether families can comprehend and use available resources to prepare for such emergencies. The objective of this study was to evaluate the literacy demands of risk communication materials on natural disasters for US families with children.

Methods: In January 2018, we assessed 386 online self-directed learning resources related to emergency preparedness for natural disasters using 5 literacy assessment tools.

Effects of prenatal marijuana exposure on neuropsychological outcomes in children aged 1-11 years: A systematic review.

Background: Normalisation of medicinal and recreational marijuana use has increased the importance of fully understanding effects of marijuana use on individual-and population-level health, including prenatal exposure effects on child development. We undertook a systematic review of the literature to examine the long-term effects of prenatal marijuana exposure on neuropsychological function in children aged 1-11 years.

Methods: Primary research publications were searched from Medline, Embase, PsychInfo, CINAHL EbscoHost, Cochrane Library, Global Health and ERIC (1980-2018).

Intergenerational Continuity in Adverse Childhood Experiences and Rural Community Environments.

Objectives: To understand the role of the community environment on intergenerational continuity in adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) among a rural White sample.

Methods: Parents in 12 counties in rural Iowa reported retrospectively on their own ACEs in 1989. We measured their child's ACEs retrospectively and prospectively across adolescence (n = 451 families).

School District Crisis Preparedness, Response, and Recovery Plans - United States, 2006, 2012, and 2016.

Children spend the majority of their time at school and are particularly vulnerable to the negative emotional and behavioral impacts of disasters, including anxiety, depressive symptoms, impaired social relationships, and poor school performance (1). Because of concerns about inadequate school-based emergency planning to address the unique needs of children and the adults who support them, Healthy People 2020 includes objectives to improve school preparedness, response, and recovery plans (Preparedness [PREP]-5) (2). To examine improvements over time and gaps in school preparedness plans, data from the 2006, 2012, and 2016 School Health Policies and Practices Study (SHPPS) were analyzed to assess changes in the percentage of districts meeting PREP-5 objectives.

Successful Scientific Writing and Publishing: A Step-by-Step Approach.

Scientific writing and publication are essential to advancing knowledge and practice in public health, but prospective authors face substantial challenges. Authors can overcome barriers, such as lack of understanding about scientific writing and the publishing process, with training and resources. The objective of this article is to provide guidance and practical recommendations to help both inexperienced and experienced authors working in public health settings to more efficiently publish the results of their work in the peer-reviewed literature.

Conceptualizing and Measuring Safe, Stable, Nurturing Relationships and Environments in Educational Settings.

Most children and adolescents older than five years spend at least six hours of their day in school settings. Like parents, education professionals can promote health and protect youth from harm by providing safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has developed a framework which posits that safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments are and are fundamental to promoting health and well-being; protecting youth from maltreatment and other violence and victimization; and ensuring optimal, healthy development.

Mediating and moderating effects of social support in the study of child abuse and adult physical and mental health.

A number of cross-sectional and a few longitudinal studies have shown a developmental relationship between child abuse and adult physical and mental health. Published findings also suggest that social support can lessen the risk of adverse outcomes for some abused children. However, few studies have investigated whether social support mediates or moderates the relationship between child abuse and adult physical and mental health.