Subotic-Kerry Mirjana, Borchard Thomas, Parker Belinda, Li Sophie H, Choi Jayden, Long Emma V, Batterham Philip J, Whitton Alexis, Gockiert Aniela, Spencer Lucinda, O'Dea Bridianne
University of New South Wales Faculty of Medicine, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Black Dog Institute, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia.
BMJ Open. 2025 Mar 24;15(3):e087342. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2024-087342.
Long wait times impede timely access to mental health treatment for anxiety and depression for adolescents. However, there is limited quantitative research on current wait times for the treatment of anxiety and depression for adolescents in Australia and the impact of wait times on adolescent help-seekers.
This study examined adolescents' experiences of wait times for the treatment of anxiety and depression in Australia, including the providers they were waiting to access, the self-reported duration and perceived acceptability of wait times, the association between these wait times and psychological distress and the support and coping behaviours used by adolescents during this time.
From April to June 2022, 375 adolescents aged 13-17 years who were living in Australia and currently waiting, or had previously waited in the past 12 months, for mental health treatment for anxiety and depression completed a cross-sectional online survey.
Most adolescents initiated care with psychologists and psychiatrists, with mean wait times of 100.1 days (SD: 77.25) and 127.5 days (SD: 78.80), respectively. The mean wait time across all treatment providers was 99.6 days (SD: 80.44). Most participants (85.2%) felt their wait times were 'too long'. Longer wait times were associated with increased psychological distress, and many adolescents perceived that their mental health worsened during the wait time. Most participants did not receive any support from their healthcare providers during the wait time and engaged in maladaptive and risky coping behaviours while waiting. However, self-reported treatment attendance remained high.
Adolescents in Australia face lengthy wait times when accessing mental health treatment, and this may exacerbate distress and maladaptive coping.
长时间等待阻碍了青少年及时获得焦虑和抑郁的心理健康治疗。然而，关于澳大利亚青少年目前焦虑和抑郁治疗的等待时间以及等待时间对青少年求助者的影响的定量研究有限。
本研究调查了澳大利亚青少年在等待焦虑和抑郁治疗期间的经历，包括他们等待就诊的机构、自我报告的等待时间和感知的可接受性、这些等待时间与心理困扰之间的关联以及青少年在此期间使用的支持和应对行为。
2022年4月至6月，375名年龄在13 - 17岁、居住在澳大利亚且目前正在等待或在过去12个月内曾等待焦虑和抑郁心理健康治疗的青少年完成了一项横断面在线调查。
大多数青少年开始接受心理学家和精神科医生的治疗，平均等待时间分别为100.1天（标准差：77.25）和127.5天（标准差：78.80）。所有治疗机构的平均等待时间为99.6天（标准差：80.44）。大多数参与者（85.2%）认为他们的等待时间“太长”。更长的等待时间与心理困扰增加有关，许多青少年认为他们的心理健康在等待期间恶化。大多数参与者在等待期间没有从医疗服务提供者那里得到任何支持，并且在等待时采取了适应不良和危险的应对行为。然而，自我报告的治疗出勤率仍然很高。
澳大利亚的青少年在获得心理健康治疗时面临漫长的等待时间，这可能会加剧困扰和适应不良的应对方式。
