Depressioner och ångestsyndrom bland barn och unga förknippade med långsiktiga konsekvenser – en nationell registerstudie

Sammanfattning Andelen unga som insjuknar i depressioner och angestsyndrom har okat i Sverige enligt inrapporterade diagnoser till Socialstyrelsen. Det finns farhagor att en okande andel kan drabbas av langtgaende halso- och socioekonomiska konsekvenser. Socialstyrelsen har har narmare studerat langsiktiga konsekvenser avseende halsa och socioekonomiska forhallanden for barn 10 -17 ar och unga vuxna 18-24 ar med nydiagnostiserade depressioner och angestsyndrom. Data fran myndighetens halsodataregister och dodsorsaksregister har samkorts med uppgifter fran Statistiska centralbyran. En registerbaserad prospektiv kohortstudie genomfordes med en uppfoljningstid pa tio ar. Uppfoljning av de som tidigt fatt en diagnos visade att gruppen hade en okad risk vad galler suicidforsok och suicid, i mindre omfattning var yrkesaktiva och i hogre grad beroende av inkomster fran sjukersattning, sjukpenning och ekonomiskt bistand. Sadana konsekvenser aktualiserar behovet av tidiga insatser vid psykisk ohalsa. Att andelen unga som insjuknar i depressioner och angestsyndrom har okat i Sverige staller ocksa krav pa att halso- och sjukvarden kan mota behovet hos ett okande antal unga som soker vard. Abstract An increasing number of young people in Sweden are diagnosed with depression and anxiety disorders. There is concern that a significant proportion may suffer long-term health and socioeconomic consequences. The objective was to characterise long-term health and socioeconomic consequences more thoroughly among young people diagnosed with depression or anxiety. Data regarding psychiatric care, prescribed antidepressants and various forms of welfare support were obtained from national registers held by Statistics Sweden and the National Board of Health and Welfare in Sweden. Children 10-17 years and young adults 18-24 years firstly diagnosed with depression or anxiety in 2008 were followed up until 2018. A significant proportion of young people diagnosed with depression or anxiety run the risk of long-term health and socioeconomic consequences. Young people diagnosed with depression or anxiety were found to have an increased risk of both suicide attempts and suicide. They were to a greater extent not yet established in the labour market and dependent on different sickness benefits due to illness. Such consequences raise the need to work with early intervention in mental illness. The fact that the number of young people diagnosed with depression and anxiety has increased requires that health care can meet the needs of an increasing number of young people seeking medical care.