Depression and anxiety in youth: a Swedish prospective cohort study of prevalence and treatment gaps

Youth has been described as a life phase characterised by instability and challenges with potential implications for mental health. Yet there is a lack of studies on the prevalence of psychiatric conditions among youth in Sweden. Accordingly, there is also limited knowledge about the degree to which young persons with psychiatric conditions receive care. This project follows a Swedish cohort of young people from age 15, and the aim is to study depression and anxiety at ages 20-23 years and to examine treatment gaps for these conditions. Another aim is to analyse differences in prevalence and in treatment gaps by gender, socioeconomic position and parental country of birth. Additionally, the research group will study how different coping strategies are related to depression and anxiety and to the treatment gaps for these conditions.

Data are drawn from the Swedish national cohort study Futura01, combining survey and register data. The baseline study in 2017 was a school survey with students in grade 9 (t1, 15-16 y; n=5549, response rate 82%). The participants were followed up with a web survey in 2019 (t2, 17-18 y; n=4161). In spring 2022, the participants are followed up again with a web survey (t3, 20-21 y). In t3, the self-report instrument Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4) which screens for depression and anxiety is included. The research group will also carry out a fourth data collection (t4, 22-23 y) in 2024. All survey waves include measures on mental health, stress, social support and health behaviours. The statistical methods to be used include various multivariate techniques adapted to panel data.

The project will build on survey data from t1, t2, t3 and t4 and linked register information on specialist psychiatric care, prescriptions of medication, and sociodemographic characteristics. For parts of the data, the research group also intends to link information on primary care from regional registers.

The project will generate knowledge about the prevalence of depression and anxiety among young people in Sweden and about the unmet care needs for these conditions. More specifically, the project will inform about differences in prevalence and in treatment gaps between societal groups, as well as about the role of different coping strategies. Such knowledge is relevant for preventive work and early interventions, e.g., “first line” care which is a relatively new type of care that is still under development.

• Sara Brolin Låftman, Principal Investigator
• Sven Bölte
• Jonas Raninen
• Viveca Östberg

1. Bohman, H., Låftman, S. B., Alaie, I., Ssegonja, R., & Jonsson, U. (2025). Adult mental health outcomes of adolescent depression and co-occurring alcohol use disorder: a longitudinal cohort study. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 34(5), 1649-1659.
2. Grigorian, K., Östberg, V., Raninen, J., & Låftman, S.B. (2025). Loneliness and subsequent depression and anxiety in emerging adults: Findings from a Swedish cohort study. Accepted for publication in Scandinavian Journal of Public Health.
3. Grigorian, K., Östberg, V., Raninen, J., & Brolin Låftman, S. (2024). Loneliness, belonging and psychosomatic complaints across late adolescence and young adulthood: a Swedish cohort study. BMC Public Health, 24(1), 642.
4. Låftman, S. B., Grigorian, K., Lundin, A., Östberg, V., & Raninen, J. (2024). Bullying experiences before and after the transition from lower to upper secondary school: associations with subsequent mental health in a Swedish cohort. BMC Public Health, 24(1), 27.
5. Låftman, S. B., Lundin, A., & Östberg, V. (2024). Perceived social support and symptoms of depression and anxiety in emerging adulthood: A Swedish prospective cohort study. Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, 53(8):854-862.
6. Låftman, S. B., Raninen, J., & Östberg, V. (2024). Trust in adolescence and depression and anxiety symptoms in young adulthood: findings from a Swedish cohort. BMC Research Notes, 17(1), 7.
7. Låftman, S. B., & Östberg, V. (2024) Psychosomatic complaints are indicative of stress in young individuals: findings from a Swedish national cohort study. Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, 53(8):939-944.
8. Låftman, S.B., Östberg, V., Wahlström, J., Ramstedt, M., & Raninen, J. (2024). Exposure to parental problem drinking during adolescence and symptoms of depression and anxiety in young adulthood: A Swedish national cohort study. Drug and Alcohol Review, 43(6), 1461-1472.
9. Grigorian, K., Östberg, V., Raninen, J., Åhlén, J., & Brolin Låftman, S. (2023). Prospective associations between psychosomatic complaints in adolescence and depression and anxiety symptoms in young adulthood: A Swedish national cohort study. SSM-Population Health, 24, 101509.
10. Grigorian, K., Östberg, V., Raninen, J., & Låftman, S. B. (2023). Parenting Practices and Psychosomatic Complaints Among Swedish Adolescents. International Journal of Public Health, 68, 1606580.
11. Låftman, S. B., Östberg, V., & Raninen, J. (2023). Trust and psychosomatic complaints in adolescence: findings from a Swedish cohort study. International Journal of Public Health, 68, 1606032.