MONDAY, Aug. 17 (HealthDay News) -- Although young adults suspected of being maltreated during adolescence have a high prevalence of mental health problems, only a small proportion use outpatient mental health services, according to research published in the August issue of Psychiatric Services.

Heather Ringeisen, Ph.D., of RTI International in Research Triangle Park, N.C., and colleagues analyzed data from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being, a study of children suspected of experiencing maltreatment. A total of 616 individuals were identified who were aged 12 to 15 years at baseline.

The researchers found that nearly half (48.1 percent) of the young adults identified had at least one indicator of mental health problems. The use of specialty mental health services by this population decreased significantly over time, from 47.6 percent at baseline to 14.3 percent at five- to six-year follow-up. Less than one-quarter of young adults (23.2 percent) with mental health problems utilized outpatient mental health services. Factors associated with the use of these services included having a mental health problem, having Medicaid, and being Caucasian.

"Interventions to improve access to outpatient mental health services for this vulnerable population should particularly support outreach and engagement of young adults who are uninsured and from racial or ethnic minority groups with a history of involvement with the child welfare system in order to meet their unique developmental needs," the authors write.

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