The Relationship Between Locale and the Risk of Mental Health Problems for US Teenagers

Abstract

The problem of mental health, especially in teenagers, is an important and growing concern in American society. And this problem is not, in any way, unique to the US. It is an increasing global issue. There are many factors in determining a youth’s mental well-being. The goal is to look into the relationship between an individual’s locale and their risk of getting a mental illness, more specifically, the causes of any disparity found in mental well-being based on locale. First, we will examine the conclusions reached by previous studies. Then, the causes for the correlation will be established by further data and research. From the previous steps, the data indicates that minors in rural areas are in the greatest danger for mental health problems and youths living in urban areas are at less risk. A main cause of this variation is how often youths use mental health services. Urban youths have been found to use it far more often than their counterparts in rural areas. This gap has been traced to four important elements: availability, acceptability, affordability, and accessibility. Without any of these factors, youths will be impeded, if not completely prevented from receiving this critical service which can, and does, save lives.