Global study shows children’s anxiety hit all-time pandemic high

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – Anxiety and depression have nearly doubled in children across the globe since the start of the pandemic, according to a study published in JAMA Pediatrics.

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Previous studies showed these pre-coronavirus conditions hovered between 8% and 12%. The number of depressed children has skyrocketed to 25%. Additionally, 20% in the sample reported being anxious.

Scientists pooled data from 29 studies for a total of 80, 879 youth. The average age was thirteen-years old, and the sample was almost evenly split between males and females.

“We are experiencing a global public health crisis in youth that began long before the pandemic,” authors say in the paper. “And we must advocate for implementation of evidence-supported practices that are scalable, expand access to care and eliminate disparities worldwide.”