Mental health and adolescence: hospital admissions in Tuscany have doubled in 10 years
In addition to the official figures, the widespread but unacknowledged distress among young people is compounded by waiting lists and local services that are ‘out of step’ with specialist care
In Tuscany, over the course of ten years, psychiatric admissions among the 0–19 age group have almost doubled, rising from 37.5 per 10,000 inhabitants in 2016 to 73.4 in 2025. In the same year, visits to A&E for psychiatric reasons reached 50.9 cases per 10,000 inhabitants – the highest figure since 2016 – with a higher incidence among girls (58.7) than among boys (43.7). These figures paint a picture that can no longer be ignored.
The hidden distress
Alongside the cases that come to the attention of hospital services, there is a hidden level of distress that emerges clearly from surveys carried out in schools. Out of a sample of 4,927 secondary school pupils, 44.2 per cent of girls and 16.1 per cent of boys show high levels of psychological distress attributable to anxiety and depression; 12.7% reported episodes of self-harm at some point in their lives, a figure that rises to 18.8% among girls and stands at 7.2% among boys; furthermore, 28.9% are at risk of developing eating disorders.
Doctors’ warning
General practitioners and paediatricians chosen by patients are the first line of defence against this growing vulnerability. The Adolescent Mental Health Commission of the Florence Medical Association, in collaboration with the Epidemiology Observatory of the Ars Toscana, has launched a survey to gather the first-hand experiences of these professionals. 89 per cent of the doctors involved report treating adolescents with symptoms of mental distress, ranging from anxiety and depression to self-harming behaviour. However, 62 per cent report that access to public specialist services is difficult or only partially available.
