title: Burden of unmet mental health needs in assault-injured youths presenting to the emergency department.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine if there is a gap between behavioral symptoms and previously recognized mental health conditions in youth victims of peer assault injuries and to describe gender differences in psychological symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional comparison of rates of previously diagnosed mental health conditions and clinical range behavioral symptoms as measured by the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) in 168 youths (range, 10-15 years old) presenting to the emergency department (ED) after an interpersonal assault injury. The Fisher exact test was used for comparisons.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mental health symptoms were common among assault-injured youths. More than half of the youths demonstrating clinical range symptoms on the attention problems or anxious/depressed scales of the CBCL had no prior diagnosis of these conditions. Girls were more likely than boys to exhibit clinical range aggressive behavior symptoms (odds ratio [OR], 3.61; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.64-7.97). Aggressive behavior was associated with clinical range scores on the other problem scales of the CBCL.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  After an ED visit for an assault-related injury, less than half of 10 to 15 year olds with significant symptoms of common mental conditions reported having a previously diagnosed disorder, reflecting a burden of unmet psychological needs. An ED visit for an assault injury provides an opportunity to screen for emotional/behavioral symptoms and to refer to appropriate follow-up mental health care.
authors: Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. julia.anixt@cchmc.org
authors: Julia S
authors: JS
authors: Anixt
authors: Nikeea
authors: N
authors: Copeland-Linder
authors: Denise
authors: D
authors: Haynie
authors: Tina L
authors: TL
authors: Cheng
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000374:Aggression; D002648:Child; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008605:Mental Health Services; D020380:Needs Assessment; D014754:Violence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*