From 2016 to 2020, increases were seen in anxiety and depression among children, while decreases were observed in parent or caregiver mental health and coping with parenting demands, according to a study published in JAMA Pediatrics. Michael D. Warren, MD, MPH, FAAP, and colleagues examined annual data from the National Survey of Children’s Health (2016-2020) to examine recent trends in children’s health-related measures. Data were included for 174,551 children from birth to age 17. The researchers observed increases in anxiety and depression between 2016 and 2020 (+29% and +27%, respectively). Decreases were seen in daily physical activity (-18%), parent or caregiver mental health (-5%), and coping with parenting demands (-11%). From 2019 to 2020, increases were seen in behavior or conduct problems (+21%) and childcare disruptions affecting parental employment (+34%), and reductions were observed in preventive medical visits (-9%).

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