Disciplines
Analysis | Rehabilitation and Therapy
Abstract
According to a report generated by the National Research Council and Institute of Medicine Report and relayed through the Center for Disease Control, between 13 and 20 percent of children living in the United States experience a mental disorder within a given year. The recognition that one out of five American children experience a mental disorder within a year deems this topic a public health issue for our nation (Centers for Disease Control, 2016). These statistics have a large effect on the delivery of care distributed by emergency rooms and hospitals across the nation. People presenting with mental health challenges not only use the emergency more frequently and spend more time in the emergency room than individuals presenting with physical ailments. Many children reporting to emergency rooms, despite national efforts, do not receive adequate treatment (Luthra, 2016).
This inefficacy is not only a national problem, as it also effects our own local communities. Despite achieving medical stability, many of these patients will remain hospitalized for weeks due to lack of appropriate discharge (Luthra, 2016). This continued hospitalization is expensive and contributes to the nearly $247 billion spent on childhood mental, placing a strain on hospital and community funds for healthcare (Centers for Disease Control, 2016).
As this pattern occurs around the country, it is important to gain insight into the reasons for the increase in the already high rates of pediatric psychiatric hospitalization. By discovering the factors that contribute to these rates, we can begin to implement policies and programs that work to improve those circumstances. Knowledge can be collected to ensure that our communities are providing appropriate and effective services for the treatment of childhood mental health to help quell the climbing rates of hospitalization.
ScholarWorks Citation
Yaczik, Katelyn, "Analysis of Pediatric Psychiatric Hospitalization Rates" (2017). Honors Projects. 609.
https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/honorsprojects/609
