Focusing on the Mental Health and Service Needs of Vulnerable Populations - Prevention Technology Transfer Center (PTTC) Network

Focusing on the Mental Health and Service Needs of Vulnerable Populations

By Iris Smith, Ph.D., M.P.H.

Recent epidemiological studies of mental health symptoms and service needs have reported an increase in mental health symptoms and need for services during the pandemic. A recent study by Haomiao et al. (published October 5, 2021) reported that the percentage of adults with symptoms of anxiety and depression increased at both the national and state level between August 2020 and February 2021.^[1] They also observed that the severity of symptoms positively correlated with the number of daily COVID-19 cases, showing significant fluctuations over that time period, with an increase of 13% in symptom severity scores from August to December 2020 and then a decrease of 26.8% from December 2020 to June 2021. Vahratian et al (2021) noted that between August 2020 and February 2021 the percentage of people who needed mental health services, but did not receive them increased from 9.2% to 11%, with he greatest increase in individuals between 18 and 39 and those without a high school education.^[2] Other studies have observed higher frequencies of depression, anxiety, suicide mortality, and substance use based on gender, ethnicity, socio-economic status, and rural residence during the pandemic.^{[3] [4]} These studies highlight the need for ongoing real time tracking of outcomes within demographic groups to identify emerging disparities and social, cultural, and environmental conditions that may contribute to them.

Resources

Almeida, M., Shrestha, A., Stojanac, D. and Miller LJ (2020). The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Women’s Mental Health. Arch Womens Mental Health 23, 741–748 (2020). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33263142/
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. Mental health and substance use disorders in the era of COVID-19: The impact of the pandemic on communities of color: Proceedings of a workshop—in brief. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://www.nap.edu/catalog/26102/mental-health-and-substance-use-disorders-in-the-era-of-covid-19
National Center for Health Statistics Interactive Quarterly Early Release Estimates Focusing on the Mental Health and Service Needs of Vulnerable Populations The Interactive Quarterly Early Release Estimates provide health statistics based on data from the 2019-2021 National Health Interview Survey for selected health topics for adults age 18 years and over.

[1] Haomiao J, Guerin RJ Barile JP, Okun AH, McKnight-Eily, Blumberg SJ, Njai R, Thompson WW (2021). National and State Trends in Anxiety and Depression Severity Scores Among Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic- United States, 2020-2021. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, October 5, 2021; Early Release, Vol. 70.

[2] Vahratian A, Blumberg SJl, Terlizzi EP, Schiller JS (2021). Symptoms of Anxiety or Depressive Disorder and Use of Mental Health Care Among Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic- United States, August 2020-February 2021. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, April 2, 2021, No. 13.

[3] Mitchell TO, Li L (2021) State-Level Data on Suicide Mortality During Quarantine: Early Evidence of a Disproportionate Impact on Racial Minorities. Psychiatry Research 295, pg. 113629.

[4] MCKnight-Eily LlR, Okoro CA, Strine TW, Verlenden J, Hollis ND, Njai R, Mitchell EW, Board A, Puddy R, Thomas C. (2021). Racial and Ethnic Disparities in the Prevalence of Stress and Worry, Mental Health Conditions, and Increased Substance Use Among Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic- United States, April and May 2020. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) 70 (5); February 5, 2021.