Civilization diseases are developing at an alarming rate. Until recently ridiculed, considered trivial, a whim, or just "having a bad day," they are now becoming the subject of increasing public interest. While the presence of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases is already rooted in public awareness, the issue of mental illness, especially among children and adolescents, remains a topic that is still considered insufficiently "serious" and worthy of coverage in mainstream media.
Meanwhile, the data is alarming. According to UNICEF estimates, 13% of teenagers worldwide, aged 10 to 19, live with diagnosed mental health disorders. In the European Union alone, this amounts to over 11 million children. This phenomenon is growing at a frightening pace, which was intensified by the Covid-19 pandemic. Many mental health disorders begin before the age of 14. They often go unrecognized, resulting in appropriate actions not being taken.
Unfortunately, untreated disorders can lead to suicide attempts. Every year, almost 46,000 teenagers take their own lives. Statistically, this means one child dies every 11 minutes. Suicide is one of the five most common causes of death among young people. In Europe, nearly 1,200 young people take their own lives annually. In Poland, in 2023, over 2,100 suicide attempts were recorded. It's alarming that compared to 2020, their number increased by 150%. When looking at so many numbers, it's worth considering a specific perspective – behind each of them is the tragedy of a young person and their loved ones. A tragedy that, without proper help, can end in disaster.
A huge problem is also the shortage of doctors – specialists in child and adolescent psychiatry. Currently, there are only 546 of them in Poland. And while steps are being taken to increase their numbers, it is also necessary to provide technological support to assist their work.
Mentalio is exactly such a solution – a diagnostic and therapeutic decision support system in the area of adolescent mental health based on artificial intelligence algorithms. It will be a clinical decision support system for psychologists, psychotherapists, and psychiatrists. Mentalio will provide an opportunity for in-depth assessment of psychological and emotional states, taking into account behavioral analysis and interactions between the perspectives of patients, caregivers, and professionals. The system's assumption is thus to digitize and accelerate the diagnostic process without losing the crucial aspect of the doctor's observation of the patient's attitude during visits. Artificial intelligence will not replace doctors but will be invaluable support in the process of diagnosis and treatment planning.
Learn more, how Mentalio works.
