New Research by Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Highlights the Nationwide Need for Psychiatric Care for Children
19 Agosto 2024 - 10:01AM
Business Wire
A new study led by Children’s Hospital Los Angeles found
wide variation in pediatric inpatient psychiatric beds across the
United States. It highlights the growing concerns about the demand
and access to mental health services for children and the
geographic disparities in the availability of inpatient psychiatric
care.
The JAMA Pediatrics study evaluated U.S. pediatric inpatient
psychiatric capacity and identified state-level variation in
pediatric inpatient psychiatric beds from 2017 to 2020. The
research found more than 90% of pediatric inpatient psychiatric
beds were located in urban areas, raising concerns about access for
rural children.
Lead study author, Anna Cushing, MD, an attending physician in
the Division of Emergency and Transport Medicine at Children’s
Hospital Los Angeles, and a team of researchers, analyzed the
findings and found that there was no change to the U.S. pediatric
inpatient psychiatric bed capacity, despite the increases in
pediatric mental health emergency visits.
“We’re seeing a greater need for mental health services for
children nationwide, and children increasingly having to wait in
the emergency room for long periods of time because there are not
enough inpatient psychiatric beds available,” Cushing said. “All
children should have access to high quality mental healthcare
regardless of where they live, their household income or their
background.”
The research methodology included a cross-sectional analysis of
hospitals in the American Hospital Association Survey Database from
2017 to 2020 that reported having pediatric inpatient psychiatric
beds. It estimated changes in hospitals with pediatric inpatient
psychiatric beds and overall bed counts.
Key research findings between 2017 to 2020 show:
- This national study found no significant increase in the
availability of inpatient pediatric psychiatric beds since
2017
- A child’s access to pediatric inpatient psychiatric beds varies
widely by state—from zero pediatric inpatient psychiatric beds in
Alaska to 75 beds per 100,000 children in Arkansas
- Almost 89% of hospitals with inpatient pediatric psychiatric
beds were located in cities—meaning kids in rural areas have to
travel long distances to receive care
- About half of inpatient pediatric psychiatric beds were in
free-standing psychiatric hospitals
- 17% of inpatient pediatric psychiatric beds were in children’s
psychiatric hospitals
- 23% of inpatient pediatric psychiatric beds were in hospitals
specializing in pediatric care
“While the study sheds light into the geographic variation in
pediatric inpatient psychiatric beds, we need more research on the
impact this has on children and their families,” Cushing said. “We
need to think creatively as a healthcare system about how we can
ensure children who live in areas with fewer pediatric mental
health care resources can access needed care, including through
alternative care models such as community crisis services and
telehealth consultation with pediatric mental health
specialists.”
The study, "Pediatric Inpatient Psychiatric Capacity in the
U.S., 2017-2020," was published today in JAMA Pediatrics, and
provides full details of the research methodology, data analysis
and findings of the crucial need to ensure all children have access
to psychiatric resources nationwide.
About Children’s Hospital Los Angeles
Founded in 1901, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles is at the
forefront of pediatric medicine and is the largest provider of
hospital care for children in California. Children’s Hospital is
home to renowned experts who work together across disciplines to
deliver inclusive and compassionate care, and drive advances that
set pediatric standards across the nation and around the globe.
Children’s Hospital Los Angeles provides a level of care to its
diverse population of children that is among the best in the world.
The hospital is consistently ranked in the top 10 in the nation on
U.S. News & World Report’s Honor Roll of Best Children’s
Hospitals, including No. 1 in California and No. 1 in the Pacific
U.S. region. Children’s Hospital Los Angeles embraces its mission
to create hope and build healthier futures. Children’s Hospital Los
Angeles is among the top 10 children’s hospitals for National
Institutes of Health funding. The Saban Research Institute of
Children's Hospital Los Angeles supports the full continuum of
research, allowing physicians and scientists to translate
discoveries into treatments and bring answers to families faster.
The pediatric academic medical center also is home to one of the
largest training programs for pediatricians in the United States.
And the hospital’s commitment to building strong communities is
evident in CHLA’s efforts to fight food insecurity, enhance health
education and literacy, and introduce more people to careers in
health care. To learn more, follow CHLA on Facebook,
Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube and X,
formerly known as Twitter, and visit CHLA.org/blog.
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Jackie Solis media@chla.usc.edu