December 3, 2020 – The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has released its “10th Annual Report to Congress on High-Priority Evidence Gaps for Clinical Preventive Services.”
In this annual report, the USPSTF calls attention to high-priority research gaps from its recommendations related to child and adolescent health and health inequities, including mental and behavioral health, substance use, and obesity. Research into these complex health issues will help clinicians meaningfully assist patients and their families in preventing them and reducing health inequities.
Topics highlighted in the report include:
- Depression in Children and Adolescents: Screening
- Suicide Risk in Adolescents, Adults, and Older Adults: Screening
- Prevention and Cessation of Tobacco Use in Children and Adolescents: Primary Care Interventions
- Illicit Drug Use in Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults: Primary Care–Based Interventions
- Unhealthy Drug Use: Screening
- Obesity in Children and Adolescents: Screening
Future research can help fill gaps in these areas and may result in important new recommendations that will help to improve the health of children and adolescents and reduce health inequities, with lasting effects through adulthood. By identifying evidence gaps and highlighting them as research priorities, the USPSTF aims to inspire public and private researchers to collaborate and target their efforts to generate new knowledge to address these important health issues.
Read the complete report on the USPSTF website.
