What were we trying to do?

We used GMCR (Greater Manchester Care Record) data to provide information on the numbers of children, adolescents and young adults seeking help from their GP for mental health problems during the pandemic and how these differed by age, gender, ethnicity, and locality/socio-economic status.

 

 

Why was it important?

The study was a long-term observation showing how the COVID-19 pandemic affected help-seeking in children, adolescents and young adults experiencing mental illnesses. It examined the degree to which different demographic groups and localities were affected by stressors and service delivery changes that resulted from the pandemic, and how this impacted existing health inequalities.

 

The use of the GMCR allowed the first detailed examination of these phenomena in relation to ethnic groups and showed how patterns varied across Greater Manchester’s (GM) 10 boroughs, and at neighbourhood level within these large urban populations.

 

We communicated our findings and key messages to representatives from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), regional commissioning groups and NHS Trusts to identify population groups most at risk with a view to service improvement.

 

How did we do it?

We used GMCR data to examine monthly trends in all first-recorded episodes of mental ill-health diagnoses and self-harm from January 2019 to May 2022 in:

 

• children
• adolescents
• young adults.

 

We also explored differences associated with:

 

• gender
• age
• ethnic group
• socio-economic status
• GM borough population.

 

 

Findings

 

Overall, rates of depression and anxiety disorder were highest in females, children and young people aged 19–24 and White and ‘Other’ ethnic groups. 

During Pandemic Phase 1 (March 2020 to June 2021), rates for depression and anxiety diagnoses fell in all demographic subgroups and then rose to similar levels as those recorded pre-pandemic. 

In Pandemic Phase 2 (July 2021 to May 2022), rates in Black and Mixed-ethnicity females rose to a significantly greater degree (by 54% and 62%, respectively) than those in White females. 

Changes across both pandemic phases were similar across all levels of deprivation.

Prescribing rates of anxiolytics and antidepressants increased throughout the study period, particularly in non-White ethnic groups. This was particularly observed in Black females where the increase in rate was 56% higher than the increase seen in White female patients.
 

 

Who did we work with?

• Greater Manchester Care Record

 

 

Downloadable resources:

 

 

More Information

 

 

 

Programme Manager
Gill Rizzello
gill.rizzello@manchester.ac.uk