These signals were confirmed at the national level by the surveillance system of Public Health France, with a worsening of the situation observed in early 2021 (increase in emergency room visits for mental health reasons among 11-17 year olds). It is for this reason that Public Health France and the Ministry of Solidarity and Health are today launching the “Teen” section of the mental health awareness campaign, initiated in April 2021. Entirely digital, this campaign aims to free speech, which is the first step towards seeking help, and to offer suffering adolescents to contact Youth Health Thread.
Mental health deterioration of 11-17 year olds since the first confinement
Since the start of the health crisis, as in the general population, a sharp deterioration in adolescent mental health has been observed., and more particularly from the month of November, on the anxious and depressive aspects, both by the professionals of National Education but also by pediatricians and child psychiatrists. End of December 2020 and on 1is quarter of 2021, surveillance data confirmed a deterioration in the mental health of young people under 18.
The monitoring data of emergency passages from the Oscour® network 1 show compared to previous years:
- an increase in emergency room visits for mood disorders (including depressive disorders) observed since the start of the 2020-2021 school year and still continuing in May 2021, with an increase since the beginning of 2021;
- a marked increase in emergency room visits for suicidal gestures and suicidal ideation since the start of 2021;
- to a lesser extent, an increase in passages for eating disorders was also observed since the beginning of the year 2021.
For these 3 indicators, the increase concerns children and adolescents from 11 to 17 years old and in particular 11-14 years old.
Otherwise, Public health France with the Avicenne de Bobigny hospital, the Sorbonne Paris Nord University and their partners2 conducted the CONFEADO study, to better understand the way in which children and adolescents aged 9 to 18, including children entrusted to Social Assistance for Children, experienced the first confinement and how it could have had consequences on their well-being.
The first results highlight disparities in mental health, classically found by age and sex with a mental health more impacted in adolescents (13-18 years) than in children (9-12 years) and also more impacted in girls than in boys.
The results also show a clear social divide. Children and adolescents from more vulnerable families (single-parent families, with a lower level of education, more workers or employees, born abroad), with more difficult living conditions (financial and food difficulties, over-occupied housing or without access to the outside) and in a situation of social isolation felt more psychological distress. A lack of activities, an increase in time spent on social networks and screens, a feeling of being overwhelmed with regard to school work, the Covid-19 infection of a loved one and hospitalization following the Covid -19 were factors also associated with distress.
The monitoring of the mental health of the population reinforced from the start of the health crisis made it possible to act from the first confinement through the dissemination of prevention messages. Following the increase in anxiety and depression observed with the second epidemic wave (October 2020), a national awareness campaign “Talking about it is already being treated”, aimed at people over 18, was launched in April 2021. Today, to respond to the deterioration in adolescent mental health observed in recent months, it appears necessary to launch a specifically dedicated campaign to that target.
A 100% digital campaign to encourage adolescents to speak and use remote assistance devices
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The communication device intended for 11-17 year olds, launched by Public Health France and the Ministry of Solidarity and Health, is part of the continuation of the campaign “Talking about it is already taking care of yourself”.
This campaign has for objective of limiting the impacts of the health crisis on adolescent mental health by encouraging them to speak to a trusted third party and to resort to remote assistance device Fil Santé Jeunes, and in particular by favoring its online services. This anonymous and free service for young people aged 12 to 25 offers a helpline 0 800 235 236, accessible 7 days a week from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m., and a website providing information, a forum, a chat, and guidance to help structures (reception and listening places, houses for adolescents, associations, professionals and care structures). These services are provided by professionals (doctors, psychologists, educators and counselors).
In addition, some twenty influencers, influencers and celebrities joined the campaign. #JenParleA. This strong mobilization testifies to the importance of the subject for young people. The objective is to encourage the opening of dialogue and the liberation of speech around mental health issues by launching the movement #JenParleA. Adolescents are thus encouraged to tell who they are talking to and to use the Youth Health Wire system in case of feeling unwell.
In addition to this system, a partnership with NomadEducation, application of school reviews, has been set up to support young people in their mental health during the review period of the baccalaureate and the certificate.
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Presentation of the campaign
3 questions to Enguerrand ROLLAND DU ROSCOAT, Head of the Mental Health Unit at Public Health France
What device are you going to put in place to reach teenagers?
To reach adolescents (11-17 years old), we have chosen an entirely digital campaign, in order to stay as close as possible to their preferred mode of communication. We can find banners on their favorite sites, and also 15-second videos on social networks, including Tiktok, Snapchat, Facebook and Instagram.
The principle of these videos is that each teenager filmed quotes the person to whom he confides when he feels in a situation of unease. It can be a family member, a friend, a shrink…, and Youth Health Thread. The goal is to free speech, which is the first step towards seeking help, and to offer adolescents in suffering to contact Youth Health Thread.
What messages do you want to send to this target?
The message of this campaign aimed at 11-17 year olds is twofold. If a teenager feels that they are not doing well, whether it is for example manifestations of sadness, stress, or anxiety, it is important to talk about it. And if he does not know who to confide in or if he does not wish to confide in people around him, he can go to the Fil Santé Jeunes chat to talk about it. Listeners trained in these issues are there to listen, provide answers and, if necessary, guide adolescents towards appropriate support or care.
Can you explain the partnership with NomadEducation to us?
To complete the system, we have effectively forged a partnership with NomadEducation. This application of school reviews will send during the campaign period, concomitant with the revisions of the bac and the certificate, 3 SMS inviting middle and high school students to go to Fil Santé Jeunes in the event of evocative signs of ill-being such as sadness, stress or anxiety. This SMS will include a direct link to the Fil Santé Jeunes website.
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1 Organization of coordinated emergency surveillance, health surveillance system.
2 lnserm, University of Tours, CN2R, EHESS, Lab School Network, CNRS and with the support of the FHF Fund and Unicef.
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