Throughout the pandemic, many people have experienced poor mental health, with over 30% of adults in the U.S. reporting symptoms of anxiety and/or depressive disorder, up from 11% of adults prior to the pandemic. Negative mental health outcomes have also affected children and adolescents; over 20% of school-aged children have experienced worsened mental or emotional health since the pandemic began. This increase in mental health conditions comes at a time when mental health resources are already strained, and people with mental health diagnoses often face barriers to care. Among adults with symptoms of anxiety and/or depressive disorder during the pandemic, over 20% report needing, but not receiving, mental health counseling or therapy.
In this national summary and in the accompanying fact sheets, we examine national and state-level data on mental health and substance use both before and during the coronavirus pandemic. We find that mental health outcomes, access, and coverage vary from state to state. For example, in 2018-2019, the share of adults with any mental illness ranged from 16.4% in New Jersey to 26.9% in Utah. In 2019, age-adjusted suicide rates ranged from 6.1 per 100,000 in the District of Columbia to 29.6 per 100,000 in Wyoming. Below, we highlight more findings from the national analysis. In the accompanying state reports, we present detailed state-level data for all fifty states and the District of Columbia.
Key Findings
The state-level facts sheets explore the prevalence of mental illness and substance use and related deaths, and access, affordability, and costs of care. Key findings include:
Mental health symptoms have increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. From April 28 â May 10, 2021, 30.7% of adults in the U.S. reported symptoms of anxiety and/or depressive disorder, up from 11.0% in 2019.
To access the research report, please click here.
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