Responding to Healthy People 2000: depression in our youth, common yet misunderstood

Pediatric health care providers are concerned with the physical health, growth, and development of youth. The U.S. Public Health Service has recommended that children's mental status be reviewed during routine assessments, and the promotion of mental health is one of the priorities set by Healthy People 2000. Pediatric nurses must be able to assess mental status, including depression, in children and adolescents, and to identify pathology early. This paper presents an overview of depression, historical perspectives, risk factors, a developmental approach to assessment, common treatment regimens, and nursing implications for this mental health concern in children and adolescents.