Over 1,000 Secondary Students in Selangor at High Risk of Depression

Recent studies from Selangor, Malaysia, England, and Puducherry, India, reveal significant mental health concerns among adolescents. In Selangor, 2.8% of secondary school students were identified as at high risk of depression, prompting expanded mental health intervention programs in schools focused on emotional resilience and coping skills. Research in England found that young people living in deprived coastal areas are three times more likely to have undiagnosed mental health conditions compared to their inland peers, highlighting disparities linked to poverty, education, and crime. Similarly, a study in Puducherry showed that over 25% of adolescents are at risk of mental health illnesses, with urban students exhibiting more hyperactivity and emotional symptoms, emphasizing the need for early detection and multi-level interventions involving schools, families, and communities. These findings underscore a global need for targeted mental health screening and support programs to address early signs of mental illness in youth populations. The combined insights stress early awareness, preventive measures, and capacity-building as essential strategies to improve adolescent mental health outcomes.