Citation

McClusky J. Br. Med. J. BMJ 2005; 331(7521): 906.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2005, BMJ Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1136/bmj.331.7521.906

PMID

16223839

PMCID

PMC1255811

Abstract

With reference to Lenzer's news article, one of the problems with promotion of universal mental health screening of children -- and a good reason for many people's suspicions of another agenda -- is the often inflated numbers cited. For example, the TeenScreen website notes that one in 10 American children and adolescents experience mental illness and impairment, but only one in five receives treatment. The source cited is a US Surgeon General's report from 2001 in support of a "National Action Agenda on Children's Mental Health." Yet the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that in 2001-3, 5% of American children aged 4-17 had emotional or behavioural difficulties, based on over 10 000 national health interview surveys.