In honor of World Mental Health Day, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon stated in 2008, "Let us recognize that there can be no health without mental health." His speech precipitated an appeal by the World Health Organization for countries around the globe to invest in mental health care for citizens. According to WHO, most countries spend less than 2 percent of health care budgets on mental health, yet researchers continue to find evidence that mental and physical health are closely linked.
Brain And Congenital Disorders
A 2007 study of Vietnamese children found that those suffering from long-term physical health problems, such as anemia, birth defects and physical disabilities, were more than twice as likely to have a mental disorder, regardless of socio-economic status. The Royal College of Psychiatrists reports that this comorbidity is especially profound in the case of physical illness affecting the brain, such as cerebral palsy and epilepsy. A Canadian study found that 42 percent of children with developmental delays also had a psychiatric disorder, but concluded that it is unknown "whether the comorbid illnesses share common origins."
PTSD And Physical Health
Post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, is an anxiety disorder that sometimes occurs after experiencing a traumatic event. PTSD is about twice as common in females as it is in males. A study published in "Pediatrics" journal found that female adolescents suffering from PTSD were at an elevated risk for developing physical health problems, including digestive disorders, circulatory disorders and chronic fatigue. The study also revealed that adolescent girls with PTSD "were nearly twice as likely to have a sexually transmitted infection."
Anxiety/Depression and Asthma
A study of Puerto Rican children between the ages of 4 and 17 demonstrates the link between asthma and anxiety/depressive disorders. The report showed that 11.2 percent of children with asthma had also experienced an anxiety disorder, compared with just 5.6 percent of non-asthmatic children. Asthmatic children were also nearly twice as likely as non-asthmatic children to experience depressive symptoms.
Depression And Obesity
Researchers have long known of a link between depression and obesity; this comorbidity extends to childhood obesity as well. Not surprisingly, obese children report low levels of self-esteem; in a 2003 study, they "rated their quality of life with scores as low as those of young cancer patients on chemotherapy." A University of Maryland School of Medicine study of children found that depression was a significant predictor for obesity at the one-year follow up survey. Researchers cannot yet definitively state whether one condition causes the other.
Possible Causes
The Royal College of Psychiatrists speculates on possible causes of poor mental health among children with physical health problems. They believe that the stress of social problems associated with physical health issues may lead to depression and anxiety disorders. These social issues include dealing with numerous health professionals, missing school, experiencing learning problems, feeling that other children see them as different and vulnerability to bullying.
References
- Health News: No Health Without Mental Health
- "Archives of Disease in Childhood"; Physical Long Term Health Problems and Mental Comorbidity; Daniela C. Fuhr et al; October 2007
- Royal College of Psychiatrists: Mental Health and Growing Up
- Psychiatric News: MDs Urged to Pay More Heed to Mental, Physical Comorbidities
- PubMed.gov: "Pediatrics"; Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Physical Comorbidity"; J.S. Seng et al; December 2005
- "Psychosomatics"; Comorbidity of Asthma and Anxiety and Depression; Alexander N. Ortega et al; April 2004
