Examining Disparities for Children Diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder

Alexandria, VA — April 11, 2022 — The Innovation and Value Initiative (IVI), a nonprofit research organization committed to advancing the science, practice, and use of value assessment in healthcare, today announced a collaboration with the University of Southern California Leonard D. Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics to examine treatment patterns and disparities for children and young adults newly diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD).

In the United States, an estimated 17% of adolescents experienced at least one episode of major depression in the past year[1]National Institute of Health. National Institute of Mental Health: Major Depression. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/major-depression. Accessed 8 Apr. 2022. and the rate among members of marginalized populations is believed to be significantly higher. The symptoms of childhood and adolescence depression can include academic decline, withdrawal, unexpected crying, weight changes, and thoughts or actions of self-harm. All too often, depression goes undiagnosed and untreated in this vulnerable population.

Bringing together health policy experts and a seasoned health economics and outcomes research (HEOR) team, this partnership will focus on:

  • Identifying the effectiveness of interventions and policies designed to improve access to and outcomes of care for people living with MDD; and
  • Analyzing treatment patterns and outcomes for children and young adults following diagnosis of MDD to identify potential gaps and disparities.

“The USC Schaeffer Center partnership provides a meaningful opportunity to learn how COVID-19 and the broader access to telehealth services has affected health care outcomes and disparities,” noted Rick Chapman, PhD, Chief Science Officer at IVI. “Our goal is to close the gaps and better inform health care outcomes for children and adolescents with major depressive disorder.”

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About the Leonard D. Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics
A collaboration between the USC Price School of Public Policy and the USC School of Pharmacy, the Schaeffer Center brings together experts to solve the pressing challenges in healthcare. The mission of the Schaeffer Center is to measurably improve value in health through evidence-based policy solutions, research excellence, and private and public-sector engagement.

About the Innovation and Value Initiative
The Innovation and Value Initiative is an independent, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, non-profit research organization dedicated to advancing the science and improving the practice of value assessment through development of novel methods and the creation and application of enhanced value assessment models to support local decision-making needs in healthcare.

Communications Contact: Tiffany Huth, (202) 487-8057, tiffany.huth@thevalueinitiative.org

References

References
↑1 National Institute of Health. National Institute of Mental Health: Major Depression. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/major-depression. Accessed 8 Apr. 2022.