Secular trends in primary care utilisation for mental health problems: a Norwegian register-based population-wide...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Mental Health Research

Background:

• Global evidence indicates rising mental health issues in youth.
• Understanding trends in mental health consultations is crucial for public health.
• Distinguishing between symptom reporting and diagnosed disorders is key.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze secular trends in mental health consultations in Norway (2010-2024).
• To compare trends for symptom-coded versus disorder-coded anxiety and depression.
• To investigate changes in prevalence across age and sex demographics.

Main Methods:

• Nationwide, repeated cross-sectional study of individuals aged 10-46 years.
• Utilized linked administrative registers of general practitioner contacts.
• Analyzed International Classification of Primary Care (ICPC-2) P codes for mental health, anxiety, and depression.

Main Results:

• Overall mental health diagnoses increased by 62% from 2010-2024.
• Anxiety and depressive symptom consultations rose substantially, while disorder consultations remained stable or increased modestly.
• Prevalence increased across all age groups and sexes, with notable acceleration in depressive symptoms among young adults post-2020.

Conclusions:

• Mental health problem prevalence has significantly increased, driven by symptom-coded consultations.
• Findings suggest potential shifts in help-seeking behaviors or diagnostic coding practices.
• Results inform resource allocation for mental health services and policy development.