Child and Adolescent Mental Disorders and Health Care Disparities: Results from the National Survey of Children's Health, 2011-2012

Abstract

Parents of children ages 2-17 (N = 85,637) were asked questions related to mental disorders in the 2011-2012 National Survey of Children's Health. Pearson's χ2 test and logistic regression were used to examine sociodemographic differences in the prevalence of mental disorders, mental health service needs, and service use. The lifetime and current prevalence of mental disorders was 21% and 14.8%, respectively. Overall, 7,819 children needed mental health care, representing 9.5% of the total sample; only 61% of them received treatment or counseling. Compared with Hispanics and Blacks, children ages two to five, and children without insurance, Whites, children ages five-11 and 12-17, and children having public insurance had higher odds of service use. Sustained policy initiatives and intervention efforts are needed.