CHICAGO — An influential government-appointed medical panel is urging doctors to routinely screen all American teens for depression — a bold step that acknowledges that nearly 2 million teens are affected by this debilitating condition.
Most are undiagnosed and untreated, said the US Preventive Services Task Force.
An estimated 6 percent of US teenagers are clinically depressed. Evidence shows that detailed but simple questionnaires can accurately diagnose depression.