The relationship between chronic medical conditions and mental health diagnoses in children was the focus of new research presented at the Pediatric Hospital Medicine (PHM) 2025 conference in Anaheim, California. The study, which included data from nearly 3 million children, found that the likelihood of a mental health diagnosis increased with the severity of a child’s chronic illness.
The research was led by Maria Newmaster, MD, from Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri. According to Newmaster and her colleagues, while it is known that mental health issues can complicate outcomes for children with underlying medical conditions, there has been limited research into how common these diagnoses are among children with multiple complex and chronic conditions.
“Understanding mental health trends across the array of medical complexity and chronicity in pediatrics is important for informing intervention efforts, which may ultimately aid with disease trajectory and healthcare use and spending,” Newmaster said in an interview.
The findings highlight the need for more targeted intervention strategies to address both physical and mental health needs among pediatric patients with complex medical backgrounds.
