Teen mental health support can learn from cancer care in Ontario, psychologist says – CBC
Two studies found a rise in youth mental health hospitalizations during the pandemic
Sep 21, 2023
As health institutions struggle to deal with a rise in youth mental health hospitalizations, some medical professionals think looking at the improvement of cancer care in Ontario since the 1990s could help address the current mental health crisis.
“We know how to provide good health care in Ontario in particular areas, but we’ve never thought to apply that expertise and know-how to the mental health system,” psychologist Dr. Paul Kurdyak told The Current.
According to two new studies, published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal on Monday, the number of Canadian children who visited emergency departments or required hospital treatment for self-harm jumped significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr. Natasha Saunders, a senior author for one of the studies, said that during the pandemic, young people aged 10 to 18 had a 29-per-cent increase in emergency department visits for self-harm and a 72-per-cent increase in hospitalizations for self-harm.
Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/thecurrent/cancer-care-ontario-teen-mental-health-1.6972977
