Prioritizing children’s mental health

COVID-19 has uncovered several cracks in the mental health system.

In a recent national survey of child health concerns, eight of the top 10 concerns were linked to lifestyle changes – social media / screen time, internet safety, unhealthy diet, depression / suicide, and lack of physical activity – related to the pandemic. And when the results were examined by racial / ethnic groups, black parents rated racism as their top health concern. Racism affects children’s health in many ways, including higher rates of depression, anxiety, and behavior problems. Black parents were also the only group to cite gunshot wounds and unequal access to health care as primary concerns.

The survey was commissioned by Michigan Medicine’s CS Mott Children’s Hospital, and the hospital’s COO Luanne Thomas Ewald said the results forced a more focused discussion of social determinants of health. During the summit, she chaired a discussion on health disparities and social determinants of health.

Tom Dorney, executive director of The Root Cause Coalition, a nonprofit advocacy group with a mission to reverse and end the systemic causes of health inequalities, agreed with Ewald that the pandemic brought these health inequalities to light.

“I’ve tried having conversations for 10 years, but no one has brought up social determinants and health inequalities,” Dorney said. “It’s a new trend that people are really interested in this stuff.”

Kirk Smith, CEO of the Greater Flint Health Coalition, found that 80 percent of factors that affect health occur outside of the health system.

His organization has focused on health inequalities for the past five years. His work has impacted more than 50,000 citizens reducing emergency rooms and hospital stays for children, improving missed school days and participating in better health decisions.

The Greater Flint Health Coalition’s efforts include addressing systemic inequalities such as transportation.

“It is not enough just to mention the disease or illness,” said Smith.

Toxic stress, whether from poverty, unaddressed mental health issues, or community violence, and its effects on health are a focus of Dr. Katherine Rosenblum, co-director of the Zero to Thrive program at the University of Michigan.

“The accumulation of stress overwhelms the body’s ability to cope with it and adapt,” said Rosenblum during the discussion. “Early relationships can help build resilience to alleviate the effects of stress. Parental support is key; We support parents so that they can support their children. “

With an evidence-based belief that the early years of life are vital and strong relationships are the foundation of family success, Zero to Thrive promotes family health and resilience from pregnancy through early childhood through research, education, partnership, and service .

“To grow a more reliable tree, you need healthy soil,” said Rosenblum.

source https://dailyhealthynews.ca/prioritizing-childrens-mental-health/