Study Finds Low NHS Diagnosis Rates for South London Teens with Mental Health Disorders
A King's College London study compared NHS mental health diagnoses among 17-year-olds in south London with estimated disorder rates from interviews. Diagnosis prevalence rose from 2.6% in 2009 to 4.4% in 2024, but fewer than one in 15 estimated cases may have been identified by NHS services. The research was published in The Lancet Regional Health—Europe.
The King's College London team, based at the IoPPN, examined NHS electronic records for 17-year-olds in south London from 2009 to 2024 and compared them with Office for National Statistics population figures. They also used interview-based estimates from the E-Risk Longitudinal Twin Study, involving more than 2,000 young people, weighted to match south London's 17-year-old population.
For depression, generalized anxiety disorder, PTSD, conduct disorder and ADHD, the researchers estimated that fewer than one in 15 affected young people received an NHS mental health diagnosis across the period. Diagnosis rates varied: girls and young people from Black, Asian, mixed or other ethnic backgrounds were less likely than boys or white peers to be diagnosed among those estimated to have a disorder and to have sought help.
Count words. First para: The(1) King's(2) College(3) London(4) team,(5) based(6) at(7) the(8) IoPPN,(9) examined(10) NHS(11) electronic(12) records(13) for(14) 17-year-olds(15) in(16) south(17) London(18) from(19) 2009(20) to(21) 2024(22) and(23) compared(24) them(25) with(26) Office(27) for(28) National(29) Statistics(30) population(31) figures.(32) They(33) also(34) used(35) interview-based(36) estimates(37) from(38) the(39) E-Risk(40) Longitudinal(41) Twin(42) Study,(43) involving(44) more(45) than(46) 2,000(47) young(48) people,(49) weighted(50) to(51) match(52) south(53) London's(54) 17-year-old(55) population.(56)
Second: For(1) depression,(2) generalized(3)
These findings may draw attention to how teenage mental health needs are recognized, referred and recorded across NHS services. Affected young people and their families could face delayed support if symptoms go undiagnosed, while schools, clinicians and local planners may reconsider outreach and data monitoring. The reported differences by gender and ethnicity may also prompt questions about whether some groups encounter additional barriers to care, though the study cannot by itself explain why such gaps exist. Count: These1 findings2 may3 draw4 attention5 to6 how7 teenage8 mental9 health10 needs11 are12 recognized,13 referred14 and15 recorded16 across17 NHS18 services.19 Affected20 young21 people22 and23 their24 families25 could26 face27 delayed28 support29 if30 symptoms31 go32 undiagnosed,33 while34 schools,35 clinicians36 and37 local38 planners39 may40 reconsider41 outreach42 and43 data44 monitoring.45 The46 reported47 differences48 by49 gender50 and51 ethnicity52 may53 also54 prom