Symptoms of Anxiety or Depressive Disorder
36% of Americans report symptoms of anxiety or depression, up from 11% in 2019. Southern states have the largest share of adults reporting symptoms: 47% in MS, 46% in LA, 43% in AL, and 42% in AR.
Symptoms of anxiety or depression, Sep 14-26, 2022
Percent of adults who experienced symptoms of anxiety or depression in the last two weeks
Source: CDC and Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey. Notes: This indicator is based on self-report of the frequency of anxiety and depression symptoms, derived from responses to the first two questions of the eight-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-2) and the seven-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-2) scale.
The number of adults in the U.S. reporting symptoms of anxiety and depressive disorder has tripled from 11% in 2019 to 36% in September 2022. Four out of the five states with the highest rates were in the South: 47% in Mississippi, 46% in Louisiana, 43% in Alabama, and 42% in Arkansas.
As a step towards tackling the growing mental health crisis, the U.S. Preventive Services Taskforce recommends that Americans between the ages of 8 and 65 be screened for anxiety and depression.1,2 But mental health providers are in short supply across the nation. Alabama and Mississippi, where residents experience some of the highest rates of anxiety and/or depression, have well below the national average of 280 providers per 100,000 people – 115 and 185, respectively.3,4
The effects of this mental health crisis continue to unfold, with increasing incidences of drug overdose deaths, road rage incidents, violent crime, child abuse, and firearm suicides (Firearm Suicides).5,6,7,8,9,10 Bolstering services like the updated national Suicide and Crisis Hotline “988” will be critical in supporting growing needs in long-term mental health care.11,12
“U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Issues Draft Recommendation Statements on Screening for Anxiety, Depression, and Suicide Risk in Adults”. U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. September, 2022. https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/sites/default/files/file/supporting_documents/depression-suicide-risk-anxiety-adults-screening-draft-rec-bulletin.pdf
“U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Issues Final Recommendation Statements on Screening for Anxiety, Depression, and Suicide Risk in Children and Adolescents”. U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. October, 2022. https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/sites/default/files/file/supporting_documents/screening-anxiety-depression-suicide-risk-final-rec-bulletin.pdf
“AAP-AACAP-CHA Declaration of a National Emergency in Child and Adolescent Mental Health”. American Academy of Pediatrics. October, 2021. https://www.aap.org/en/advocacy/child-and-adolescent-healthy-mental-development/aap-aacap-cha-declaration-of-a-national-emergency-in-child-and-adolescent-mental-health/
“Mental Health Providers”. County Health Rankings & Roadmaps. https://www.countyhealthrankings.org/explore-health-rankings/measures-data-sources/county-health-rankings-model/health-factors/clinical-care/access-to-care/mental-health-providers
“Rankings Data & Documentation”. County Health Rankings & Roadmaps. https://www.countyhealthrankings.org/explore-health-rankings/rankings-data-documentation
“Drug Overdose Deaths”. CDC. https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/dcdd/viz/04_DrugOverdose/04_DrugOverdose
“Danger in danger: Interpersonal violence during COVID-19 quarantine”. Mazza, Marano, Lai, Janiri, and Sani. PubMed. July, 2020. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7190494/
“2020 Fatality Data Show Increased Traffic Fatalities During Pandemic”. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. June, 2021. https://www.nhtsa.gov/press-releases/2020-fatality-data-show-increased-traffic-fatalities-during-pandemic
“Reports of Road Rage Shootings are on the Rise”. Burd-Sharps, Bistline. Everytown. April, 2022. https://everytownresearch.org/reports-of-road-rage-shootings-are-on-the-rise/
“Preventing gun violence takes more than police”. Henderson, Brown. Brookings Institute. March, 2022. https://www.brookings.edu/blog/how-we-rise/2022/03/31/preventing-gun-violence-takes-more-than-police/
“988: National Suicide Prevention Lifeline launches new 3-digit number”. Howard, Stracqualursi. CNN Health. July, 2022. https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/16/health/988-national-suicide-prevention-lifeline-launches/index.html
“Calls to suicide prevention lifeline rose 45% after changeover to 988 number”. Howard. CNN Health. September, 2022. https://www.cnn.com/2022/09/09/health/988-suicide-prevention-calls-hhs-wellness/index.html
