Behavioral addictions in adolescents in Latin America: a narrative review of prevalence, mental health comorbidities, and gaps in care

Behavioral addictions, including internet addiction, gaming disorder, and problematic smartphone and social media use, represent an emerging public health concern among adolescents globally, with particular urgency in Latin America where research remains scarce and health system capacity is limited. This narrative review synthesizes evidence on prevalence, mental health comorbidities, social determinants, and gaps in care related to behavioral addictions in Latin American adolescents aged 10 to 19 years. A structured search was conducted in PubMed and the Virtual Health Library across four thematic axes, covering studies published from 2013 onwards. Four prevalence studies were identified, with estimates ranging from 10.6% to 54.9%, reflecting instrument heterogeneity rather than true geographic variation. ADHD, depression, anxiety, and suicidality are the most consistently documented comorbidities; addictive screen use is associated with risk ratios of 2.14 to 2.39 for suicidal behaviors. Socioeconomic deprivation, limited parental monitoring, and restricted access to offline alternatives amplify risk. Evidence-based interventions remain unevaluated in the region, ICD-11-aligned instruments validated for regional populations are largely lacking, and specialist workforce capacity is limited. This near-absence of data raises an equity concern with implications for health policy. Population-based surveillance, culturally adapted instruments, task-shifting models, and intersectoral digital governance are urgently needed.