A new study finds that preteens with addictive patterns of social media, video games, or mobile phones use are more likely to experience worse mental health and suicidal thoughts and behaviors. 

Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health is pleased to announce funding awards to support the teaching of Public Health Law at U.S. schools of public health.  Part of a CDC-funded initiative designed to improve capacity for local health departments and increase knowledge of law among the next cadre of public health graduates, the “Teaching Public Health Law in Accredited Schools and Programs of Public Health” project is led by Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health Faculty.

About The Study: This study identified distinct trajectories of addictive use of social media, mobile phones, and video games from childhood to early adolescence and found links to suicidal behaviors, suicidal ideation, and worse mental health outcomes. High or increasing addictive use trajectories were common. Addictive screen use trajectories warrant further study regarding potential use for clinical evaluation of risk and for the design and testing of interventions to improve youth mental health.

The results of this study demonstrate that surgical patients are at significant risk of experiencing food insecurity. Interventions, including food insecurity screening, may improve food access and health outcomes in this cohort. 

New research found that youth who become increasingly addicted to social media, mobile phones or video games are at greater risk of suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts and emotional or behavioral issues. The study, published June 18 in JAMA, was led by researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine, Columbia University and University of California, Berkeley.

About The Study: In this cross-sectional study of 23,000 adolescents, members of racial and ethnic minority groups were significantly less likely to access mental health visits or receive psychotropic medications or services in outpatient, telemental health, or school settings compared with white adolescents. These findings highlight the need to improve mental health access for adolescent members of racial and ethnic minority groups.