August 13, 2024
An international group of psychiatrists, psychologists, researchers and young people has published a report in the journal The Lancet Psychiatry. Led by Orygen, a center of excellence in youth mental health in Australia, the Commission brings together 54 authors from five continents to warn of the global crisis in youth mental health. The authors include three Douglas researchers: Dr Srividya Iyer, Dr Jai Shah and Dr Ashok Malla.
Dr. Srividya Iyer, co-lead author of the Commission, highlighted the huge disparity in access to mental health care for young people. She said that despite compelling evidence of need, only a small minority of young people in high-resource countries could access adequate care, while in low- and medium-resource countries, access to services was wholly inadequate. She also stressed the moral and practical imperative of investing in coordinated, effective mental health care.
The neglect of youth mental health is partly attributable to the underinvestment in mental health in general – a problem we see worldwide.
This neglect is amplified by the ambivalence society often displays towards young people and their needs, despite the fact young people are crucial for the future of our societies.
Not only is there a moral imperative to face this crisis in a coordinated, collaborative and effective way, but improving youth mental health is necessary to safeguard the future of societies who are dependent on the capabilities and contributions of their young people.
– Dr. Srividya Iyer, co-lead author of the Lancet Psychiatry Commission
The Commission has reviewed the major global trends influencing young people’s mental health, such as the impact of social networking and the threat of climate change. It proposes concrete solutions, based on scientific evidence, to strengthen mental health care, relying in particular on the active participation of young people themselves.
Professor Patrick McGorry, Executive Director of Orygen and lead author of the Commission, stressed that the report represents the first comprehensive guide to young people’s mental health on a global scale.
It is now accepted that mental ill-health is the primary threat to the health, wellbeing and productivity of young people, but while it accounts for 45 per cent of disease globally in those aged 10 to 24 years – only 2 per cent of global health budgets are allocated to addressing it.
– Professor Patrick McGorry, Executive Director of Orygen
This report calls for increased investment in research, improved models of care and equitable access to mental health services for young people in all countries.
As long as adolescents and emerging adults are undervalued, languishing in precarity…society itself will become precarious.
– Professor Eóin Killackey, co-author and Chief of Research and Knowledge Translation at Orygen
With evidence-based solutions developed in partnership with young people and people with lived experience of mental health, the Commission points the way forward in tackling this global crisis.
Read the article in The Lancet Psychiatry
For further information :
Press release about the Lancet Commission
Five reasons why the Lancet Commission is important
International media coverage of the report