Co-occurrence of Adolescent Depression and Substance Use Disorder and Access to Services in Pennsylvania

Overview

Introduction: Recently, there has been an upwards trend among adolescents with depression. Adolescents suffering from Major Depressive Episodes (MDE) tend to use substances at higher rates compared to adolescents without a MDE. The purpose of this study is to explore co-occurring MDEs and Substance Use Disorder (SUDs) for adolescents in Pennsylvania and address the importance of early identification and prevention. Methods and Results: The National Survey on Drug Use and Health for 2017 and 2018 was used for data analysis. A total of 896,000 PA adolescents were in the study. 10.9% of them had MDE and 10.42% had SUD (13.3% and 4%, respectively, nationwide). Alcohol, Marijuana, and Opioids, respectively, were the three most abused substances. The co-occurrence prevalence was 1% (n=9,000). More adolescents who are suffering from a MDE are using substances compared to adolescents that are not. 22% of PA adolescents suffering from an MDE are using Marijuana compared to 9.15% who do not have an MDE. Approximately 33% of Pennsylvania adolescents with co- occurring MDE and SUD reported receiving mental health treatment. Further studies are needed to determine the reasons for the limited treatment and to find the statistics for adolescents with MDE and SUD in the Philadelphia area. Conclusion: The prevalence for SUD in Pennsylvania adolescents is over double the nationwide prevalence. Adolescents with MDE can lead to substance abuse. The lack of accessible treatment is especially harming adolescents. More accessible health treatments are needed for adolescents with the co-occurrence of MDE and SUD.