First Nations children are the most likely youth to seek emergency treatment for mental health issues, a new study reports.
The study, published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, was aimed at evaluating trends relating to socioeconomic groups seeking treatment.
"We had expected to see differences … but we hadn't expected to see such big differences," said Dr. Amanda Newton, lead author with the department of pediatrics and psychiatry at the University of Alberta.
The report analyzed data from all 104 emergency departments in the province between 2002 and 2008, which showed 30,656 visits by 20,956 children under 18 specifically seeking help for mental-health crisis.
First Nations children – not including non-treaty, Inuit or Metis – represented six per cent of Alberta's underage population, but accounted for 13.8 per cent of emergency room visits for mental health.
"The highest visit rates to the emergency departments for mental health was for First Nations girls age 15 to 17," Newton said, adding this group's visit rate was three times that of girls the same age from families not receiving subsidies.
This group represented seven per cent of youth seeking emergency treatment, with boys of the same age accounting for six per cent.
Boys aged 15 to 17 were four times more likely to seek emergency care compared to those not receiving subsidies.
"In a way, it's good. It means people are seeking help," said Mike DeGagne, board chair of the First Nations, Inuit and Metis advisory committee for the Mental Health Commission of Canada.
He said it is extremely important to remember the cultural aspects for First Nations youth when discussing the mental health issues they face.
"This is a function of a great deal of social strain, whether it's housing or living conditions or employment or family violence or addiction problems," he said.
DeGagne said some youth may feel more comfortable presenting themselves to the emergency department as opposed to using other programs.
First Nations children and those receiving government subsidies also had a higher risk of returning to an emergency department for related mental-health problems.
Children in families on welfare or receiving government subsidies are also more likely to seek treatment in an emergency room, with the most common issues relating to anxiety, stress and substance abuse.
Children not receiving subsidies or assistance were least likely to visit emergency rooms for mental health issues.
Specific visit-rate data was unavailable for the Sturgeon Community Hospital, as the study did not evaluate data on an individual hospital basis.
More research needed
Newton said emergency departments are often the first access point for children with mental health issues – a reality she said isn't necessarily ideal.
"The emergency department will always be a place for mental health emergencies. It's a legitimate place to go when you're in crisis," she said.
To determine the reason children end up in the emergency department, she said people must take into consideration the events leading up to the crisis, and whether or not programs were available and utilized.
"If we can start asking those questions … then maybe the emergency department won't be the place that families necessarily need to go to," she said.
Newton said she hopes the study will spark interest in other groups – including community services, decision makers and health-care providers – to ultimately determine how visit rates can decline.
