![Mental Health Concerns of Teens During Pandemic Mental Health Concerns of Teens During Pandemic](https://images.medindia.net/health-images/1200_1000/physical-inactivity-depression.jpg)
‘Nemours Children’s Health found that more teens have had suicidal thoughts during pandemic.’
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“The biggest surprise was such a high number of positive screens, indicating mental health concerns, for patients presenting with complaints other than behavioral health” said Jennifer Cooper, BSN, RN, SANE‑P, Forensic Nurse Coordinator in the ED of Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Del., who presented the findings.The rising behavioral health patients during the pandemic show that adolescent behavioral health is a growing concern, and thus the need for vigilance is even greater.
Of the 2,743 teenage patients Nemours screened in the ED from March to December 2020, 770 reported signs of moderate or severe depression, and 215 reported current suicidal thoughts.
As EDs provide nearly half of all hospital-associated medical care in the U.S., they can complement primary care as a very effective setting for youth mental health screening.
“Establishing an effective screening protocol can be tough. If it proves too complex for staff to implement, it will be underutilized, and the full benefit will not be realized,” said Cooper.
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As of December 2020, Nemours reached a 62.3% mental health screening rate among all eligible patients, regardless of their reason for coming to the ED.
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They have future plans like expanding the screening to younger patients, administering it in Spanish, revising it to accommodate lower reading comprehension levels, working to remove stigma around mental health, and providing a comprehensive wellness plan.
Source-Medindia