Young people in Saxony remain mentally stressed
Mental illness among children and adolescents in Saxony remains at a high level, according to evaluations by health insurer DAK. Although the number of new cases has fallen slightly since the coronavirus years, the number of treatments is higher than before the pandemic, the health insurance company announced on Tuesday. Compared to 2019, there was an increase of ten percent for adolescent girls in the previous year and seven percent more for boys. The analysis was based on data from around 20,200 children and young people up to and including the age of 17 who are insured with DAK in Saxony.
The health insurance company is therefore calling for improvements to preventive check-ups at pediatricians. "The suffering of many children and young people is becoming entrenched. That's why we need to become more active in prevention and better recognize psychological stress in our children," said Christine Enenkel, regional head of DAK-Gesundheit in Saxony.
According to the report, girls between the ages of 15 and 17 in particular are receiving medical treatment for depression, anxiety disorders and eating disorders. The rate of new cases of depression, for example, increased by 16 percent in 2022 compared to the previous year. Compared to 2019, there was even an increase of two thirds.
Together with Saxony's Minister of Social Affairs Petra Köpping (SPD), experts from health insurance companies and medical specialists will discuss measures to improve the mental health of children and young people in Leipzig on Tuesday. The focus will be on the topic of media addiction.
The high level of mental illness among children and teenagers in Saxony, as highlighted by the health insurer DAK, includes disorders like depression and anxiety. To combat this, experts and the Minister of Social Affairs are meeting to discuss measures against media addiction, recognizing its impact on the mental health of young people.
Source: www.dpa.com
