Associations between naturally occurring school engagement with public health units and adolescent mental health

Objective This study examined whether schools’ engagement with their local public health unit (PHU) regarding mental health was associated with adolescent anxiety and depression. Methods Linked longitudinal data from 2017−18 and 2018−19 of the COMPASS study was used. Adolescent (n = 27 473) anxiety and depressive symptoms were self-reported via questionnaire. School (n = 112) engagement with their local PHU regarding mental health was reported via administrative survey. Multilevel logistic regression was used to model the association between school PHU engagement and adolescent anxiety and depression. Results Adolescents attending schools that engaged with their local PHU had greater odds of anxiety at baseline (OR = 1.30, 95%CI: 1.10, 1.53) and the probability was higher over time compared to adolescents who attended schools with no PHU engagement. Similar results were found regarding the odds of depression at baseline (OR = 1.18, 95%CI: 1.02, 1.36). No differences in the likelihood of depression over time were observed. Conclusion Based on these findings, school engagement with their local PHU may be associated with student anxiety and depression. However, more research over a longer time frame and with more detailed measures of PHU engagement is needed.