CDC Data Show Improvements in Youth Mental Health but Need for Safer and More Supportive Schools

August 6, 2024 - New CDC data released today highlight improvements in mental health among some United States teens, including decreases in the percentage of students feeling persistently sad or hopeless. However, the report also highlights concerning increases in the percentage of teens reporting experiences of school-based violence and absenteeism due to safety concerns.

Today's report provides a detailed analysis of the health behaviors and experiences of high school students across the nation, comparing 2021 and 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey data. The 2021 data are drawn from a year when schooling was still substantially disrupted due to COVID. The report also provides 10-year data trends by sex, race and ethnicity, and sexual and gender identity. As students head back to school, these data are critical to highlighting the challenges faced by millions of young people so that communities can better address their health and safety.

"One of our main priorities at CDC is improving Americans' mental health," said Debra Houry, M.D., M.P.H., CDC's chief medical officer and deputy director for program and science. "The data released today show improvements to a number of metrics that measure young people's mental well-being - progress we can build on. However, this work is far from complete. Every child should feel safe and supported, and CDC will continue its work to turn this data into action until we reach that goal."

Key improvements to youth mental health from 2021 to 2023 include:

• Decreases in the percentage of students overall who experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness (from 42% to 40%).
• Decreases in the percentage of female students who experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness (from 57% to 53%) and who seriously considered attempting suicide (30% to 27%).
• Decreases in the percentage of Hispanic students who felt persistently sad or hopeless (from 46% to 42%), who experienced poor mental health (30% to 26%), who seriously considered attempting suicide (22% to 18%) and who made a suicide plan (19% to 16%).
• Decreases in the percentage of Black students who attempted suicide (from 14% to 10%) and who were injured in a suicide attempt (4% to 2%).

Despite these positive signs, there are increases in the percentage of students reporting violence and safety concerns at school or on the way to school:

• Increases in the percentage of students who were threatened or injured with a weapon at school (7% to 9%).
• Increases in the percentage of students who were bullied at school (15% to 19%).
• Increases in the percentage of students who missed school because of safety concerns either at school or on the way to school (9% to 13%).

Today's report also underscores significant health disparities, particularly among female and LGBTQ+ high school students, who report higher rates of violence, poor mental health and suicidal thoughts and behaviors than their peers. In 2023, nearly three in 10 LGBTQ+ students were bullied at school, and two in 10 attempted suicide.

"These data show that we've made some progress in tackling these issues in recent years, which proves that they are not insurmountable. However, there's still much work ahead," said CDC Division of Adolescent and School Health Director Kathleen Ethier, Ph.D. "Considering the vital role schools play in promoting health and well-being, it is critical to address school-based violence and safety concerns."

CDC's What Works in Schools program helps promote adolescent health and well-being by supporting school districts to teach quality health education, connect young people to needed health services and make school environments safer and more supportive. This program positively impacts many behaviors and experiences presented in today's report.

CDC has collected and analyzed data on youth health and well-being for more than three decades. Data are analyzed from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey, which monitors adolescent health behaviors and experiences over time. It identifies emerging issues and helps us understand health-related topics affecting youth, including mental health. Overall, it gives the best picture of what is going on at the national, state, and local level.

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