Teen use of depression meds soars
The rate at which anti-depressants are given to teens has nearly doubled in less than a decade.
A study by the New Zealand Medical Association published in the New Zealand Medical Journal analysed the number of antidepressants dispensed to those aged 24 and under between 2007 and 2016.
It showed the rate had increased by 83 per cent, from 1361 lots of antidepressants being dispensed to those aged 13 to 17 for every 100,000 New Zealanders in that age group to 2494 per 100,000 young people.
In total, those aged 24 and under were dispensed anti-depressants about 1.35 million times during the nine-year period.
Rates were highest among women aged 18 to 24 but had also increased for children aged 12 and under by 15 per cent.
Overall, the proportion of antidepressants being dispensed to those aged 24 and under increased by 44 per cent, when figures were adjusted for population growth.
The study said access to specialist mental health services had improved between 2007 and 2015, so the increase in anti-depressant dispensing could suggest young people were getting better mental healthcare.
However, that link could not be confirmed because the authors were unable to access information about the conditions the anti-depressants were being prescribed for.
They also noted a huge disparity between rangatahi (young people) of different ethnic groups.
Young Pa¯ keha¯ were being given anti-depressants at nearly twice the rate of Ma¯ ori and four times the rate of Pasifika and Asians.
That was despite Ma¯ori and Pasifika people having higher rates
University of Auckland associate professor of psychological medicine
‘‘We need to continue working on it. We do need greater access to talk therapy.’’
Sarah Hetrick
of mental
Pa¯ keha¯ .
The study said several factors, including the cost of medication, medical practitioners lacking cultural awareness and different cultural beliefs about treatment, could be contributing to the difference in rates between ethnic groups.
University of Auckland associate professor of psychological medicine Sarah Hetrick said the findings were encouraging as they were in line with guidelines and indicated people were getting help.
However, more research was needed into culturally responsive services to ensure all Kiwis could access quality care.
‘‘We need to continue working on it. We do need greater access to talk therapy,’’ she said.
Youth mental health advocate Ezekiel Raui said the study showed the level of need for services.
‘‘It’s a signal to all of us who work in mental health and to our government that we need to continue resourcing and continue focusing on mental health.’’
health
problems
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A cat is on its way to single-handedly wiping out a second generation of dotterels on the shores of Wellington Harbour.
The lone tabby has been caught on camera by volunteers of the Mainland Island Restoration Organisation (Miro) raiding banded dotterel nests for the second consecutive breeding season at an Eastbourne colony – the species’ only breeding site inside Wellington Harbour.
The cat has decimated seven nests so far this season by eating eggs and killing chicks
It is the same cat that last year destroyed all the Eastbourne colony’s nests, said Miro committee member Parker Jones.
No chick survived to adulthood last breeding season at the beleaguered colony where a rogue weasel was believed to have wiped out the chicks during the 2017-2018 season.
Jones said the birds would renest within a few weeks but he was not confident the next cohort of chicks would fare any better.
‘‘It’s devastating for the volunteers who put in so much time to look after them.’’
Miro had decided not to release incriminating footage of the cat in the interest of keeping good relations with its owners.
Miro was powerless to stop the cat as there were no laws against allowing cats to prowl at night or against them predating native birds. Signs and wire to stop people walking over the colony did nothing to deter the feline.
Miro would give up protecting the colony if no chicks made it to adulthood next season, Jones said.
A colony further around the Pencarrow Coast was doing better with 11 chicks having been sighted. Jones put that colony’s success down to the isolation and intensive trapping – which included for feral cats – allowed in the area.
Banded dotterels carry the same nationally vulnerable conservation status as the great spotted kiwi and whio, or blue duck, but miss out when it comes to conservation funding, Jones said.
Hutt City Council is to examine its cat ownership bylaws and is undertaking a survey on cat control.
‘‘Cats ... can be a risk to our native [animals],’’ said regulatory services manager Geoff Stuart.
‘‘Once we’ve collected the responses from our survey we’ll present them back to council who will decide what our next steps will be.’’
Kevin Hackwell, Forest & Bird chief conservation officer, said the negative impact of cats on native wildlife was well-documented and the solution was responsible pet ownership.
New Zealand’s relaxed attitude towards pet ownership and regulation meant wildlife would continue to suffer.
He suggested New Zealand might take a leaf out of Australia’s book where several jurisdictions had introduced bylaws to curb nighttime prowling and contain cats to their owners’ properties .
Ultimately, he said, it came down to education about the problems their pets posed, and getting people to understand and appreciate New Zealand’s flora and fauna.