若年層における精神疾患の症状の増加(Increase in mental illness symptoms among young people)

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2025-07-30 ユニバーシティ・カレッジ・ロンドン(UCL)

UCL精神医学部の研究により、英国の若年層(14~24歳)で精神症状が大幅に増加していることが明らかになった。7.4百万件の医療データと25,000人超の自己申告データを分析した結果、症状増加率が診断件数の増加を上回っており、医療提供が追いついていない実態が示された。特に最も貧困な若者層では心理的苦痛が大きく増加した一方、診断件数の伸びは限定的で、医療アクセスの不平等も浮き彫りに。男女間で症状増加に差は見られなかったが、診断件数は男性で特に増加していた。この研究はNIHR公衆衛生研究部の支援を受け、UCLが主導した。

<関連情報>

若年成人における一般的な精神疾患:一次医療におけるエピソードと自己報告症状の経時的な傾向 Common mental disorders in young adults: temporal trends in primary care episodes and self-reported symptoms

Jennifer Dykxhoorn,Francesca Solmi,Kate Walters,Shamini Gnani,..
BMJ Mental Health  Published:13 May 2025

Abstract

Background Rates of common mental disorders (CMDs) including anxiety, depression and stress, treated in primary care have increased among young adults, but it is unclear if this reflects more help-seeking and/or an increase in symptoms, and if there are differences across sociodemographic groups.

Objective This study examined trends in primary care-recorded CMD and self-reported psychological distress symptoms in young adults over time.

Methods We used data from participants born between 1980 and 2003 in two datasets: UK primary care records and longitudinal cohort data. Participants were followed from age 16 to age 39 (maximum) or the end of the follow-up (2019–2020). Annual incidence rates of recorded CMD overall and by sociodemographic group were calculated for 2009–2019, using incidence rate ratios to explore changes. We calculated annual self-reported psychological distress symptoms from cohort data, calculating ratios to explore changes over time.

Findings Between 2009 and 2019, recorded CMD increased by 9.90%, while average psychological distress symptoms rose by 19.33%. The sharpest increases for both recorded CMD and average psychological distress symptoms were observed in older adolescents (ages 16–19) and those born after 1995. Recorded CMD increased more in males (20.61%) than in females (7.65%), despite similar symptom increases. Recorded CMD increased the most in the least deprived areas (16.34%) compared with the most deprived areas (3.55%), despite comparable rises in psychological distress symptoms.

Conclusions Both recorded CMD and psychological distress symptoms in young adults increased between 2009 and 2019, which may indicate that the rising primary care-recorded CMD reflects increased symptom burden.

Implications Differences between recorded CMD and psychological distress symptoms across sociodemographic groups highlight potential misalignment in mental healthcare with underlying population need, indicating that the most affected groups may not be those receiving the most care.

医療・健康
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