covid-19 and mental health: what we are learning from www ... mental health... · mental health and...

COVID-19 and Mental Health:What We Are Learning from www.mhascreening.org

August 1, 2020

http://www.mhascreening.org/

The COVID-19 Pandemic: Severe

Impacts on Mental Health

• More than 260,000 people have been impacted by anxiety and depression;

• More than 42,000 people have been impacted by psychosis;

• More than 90,000 people have had thoughts of suicide or self-harm on more than half the days.

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Mental Health and COVID-19:

➢ MHA Screening reflects the experiences of a help-seeking population that accesses mental health screening through www.mhascreening.org.

➢ We do not reach the entire population; therefore our numbers are likely to underreport the actual experiences of the population.

➢ From late February thru July 263,515 people screened moderate to severe for depression or anxiety over and above what we would have expected prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

➢ From late February thru July an addition 42,851 people screened at risk for psychosis over and above what we would have expected prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

➢ Since March 1, 90,114 depression screeners reported suicidal or self-harm thinking on more than half the days.

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Mental Health and COVID-19: Thoughts of Suicide

& Self-Harm at Epidemic Levels

➢ These impacts on mental health are more pronounced in young people (<25): over 9 in 10 are screening with moderate-to-severe depression, and over 8 in 10 are screening with moderate-to-severe anxiety.

➢ “Loneliness and isolation” is cited by the greatest percent of moderate to severe depression (74%) and anxiety (65%) screeners as contributing to mental health problems “right now.” These percentages have been steady since mid-April.

➢ Despite a dramatic jump in screeners in June and July (256,057 in July versus 69,626 in April), severity continued to track equal to or higher than our pre-pandemic baselines.

➢ In July 2020, 30,519 reported thinking of suicide or self-harm on more than half of days to nearly every day, with 17,728 reporting these thoughts nearly every day.

➢ Special populations are also experiencing high anxiety and depression, including LGBTQ, caregivers, students, veterans/active duty, and trauma survivors.

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MHA Screening (www.mhascreening.org):

More than 5.5 Million Completed Screens

Depression (PHQ-9) Anxiety (GAD-7) Bipolar (MDQ)

PTSD (PC-PTSD)Youth Screen

(PSC-YR)Parent Screen

(PSC)

Alcohol and Substance Use Screen (CAGE-

AID)

Psychosis Screen (Ultra-High Risk)

(PQ-B)Eating Disorders

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MHA Screening

• Began in April 2014.

• Access to screening tools is free and anonymous at www.mhascreening.org.

• Most screeners voluntarily give de-identified demographic data.

• Screeners are young, (63% < 25 years), female (72%).

• Help-seeking population (74% positive).


Depression, Anxiety, & Psychosis: “Positive”

Numbers Increased Dramatically in May-July

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-10000

0

10000

20000

30000

40000

50000

60000

70000

Feb Mar Apr May June July

Depression+ Anxiety+ Psychosis+

Note: Numbers represent excess moderate to severe (depression, anxiety) or at-risk (psychosis) results since February

In July, Per Day Anxiety Screenings

Increased by 420% over January

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200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

1800

1/1 - 1/31 2/1 - 2/29 3/1 - 3/31 4/1 - 4/30 5/1 - 5/31 6/1 - 6/30 7/1 - 7/31

In July, Per Day Depression Screenings

Increased by 520% over January

0

500

1000

1500

2000

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3000

January February March April May June July

Depression Screenings

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June Anxiety Screeners: The Main Things

Contributing to Mental Health Problems Right Now

Reason Number of Responders Percent of Respondents

Loneliness or isolation 17637 64.74%

Past trauma 12700 46.62%

Relationship problems 11111 40.79%

Current events (news, politics, etc.) 9838 36.11%

Coronavirus 7878 28.92%

Grief or Loss 6723 24.68%

Financial Problems 6588 24.18%

Racism 2097 7.70%

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N=27,241, scoring moderate to severe 6/1-6/30, “Choose up to

3”

“Racism” added as option on 6/16

July Anxiety Screeners: The Main Things








Grief or Loss 7459 25.54%


Racism 3012 10.31%

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N=29,202, scoring moderate to severe 7/1-7/31, “Choose up to 3”

June Depression Screeners: The Main Things







Grief or loss 13366 26.53%



Racism 2704 5.37%

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N=50,376, scoring moderate to severe 6/1-6/30, “Choose

up to 3”

“Racism” added as option on 6/16

July Depression Screeners: The Main Things






Grief or loss 15497 26.57%




Racism 4450 7.63%

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N=58,335, scoring moderate to severe 7/1-7/31, “Choose

up to 3”

Main Concerns Are Different Across

Race/EthnicityBlack or African

American screeners cite financial concerns at a

higher rate

Native American or American Indian screeners report

more past trauma

Hispanic or Latino screeners more worried about

COVID-19

Hispanic or Latino screeners cite loneliness or

isolation at highest rates

Largest increases in concern about

loneliness among Black and White

screeners

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Screeners Are Not “Worried Well”:

Depression Severity Highest In July 2020

15

75.00%

76.00%

77.00%

78.00%

79.00%

80.00%

81.00%

82.00%

83.00%

84.00%

85.00%

86.00%

Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July

Depression Screeners, Percent Moderate to Severe

More Than 30,000 People Considered Self-Harm

or Suicide in June

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16.60%17.50%

20.60%

18.30%17.48%

19.66%20.77%

13.20% 13.50%14.60% 14.10% 13.62%

14.66% 14.99%

25498

30519

0

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15000

20000

25000

30000

35000

0.00%

5.00%

10.00%

15.00%

20.00%

25.00%

Jan-20 Feb-20 Mar-20 Apr-20 May-20 Jun-20 Jul-20

% Nearly Every Day % More Than Half the Days Total Number, Half to Nearly Every Day

Young People in July Still Disproportionately

Experiencing Depression and AnxietyPercent Moderate to Severe

17

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%

80.00%

90.00%

100.00%

"11-17" "18-24" "25-34" "35-44" "45-54" "55-64" "65+"

Depression Anxiety

Psychosis Screening: Screeners at Risk and

Severity Up in July 2020

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60.00%

62.00%

64.00%

66.00%

68.00%

70.00%

72.00%

74.00%

76.00%

78.00%

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July

Screeners At Risk Percent at Risk

Special Populations: Positive for

Depression and Anxiety

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0.00% 10.00% 20.00% 30.00% 40.00% 50.00% 60.00% 70.00% 80.00% 90.00% 100.00%

Vet/Active Duty

New/Exp Mom

Caregiver

LGBTQ+

Trauma Survivor

Student

Anxiety Depression

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For More Resources

• For MHA COVID-19 resources: https://www.mhanational.org/covid19

• For other mental health COVID-19 resources: https://psychhub.com/covid-19/

• To take a free mental health screen: https://screening.mhanational.org

https://www.mhanational.org/covid1

https://psychhub.com/covid-19/

https://screening.mhanational.org/

Facebook.com/mentalhealthamerica

Twitter.com/mentalhealtham

Instagram.com/mentalhealthamerica

Youtube.com/mentalhealthamerica

Contact Us Mental Health America

500 Montgomery StreetSuite 820Alexandria, VA 22314

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[email protected]

@pgionfriddo

mailto:[email protected]

covid-19 and mental health: what we are learning from www ... mental health... · mental health and...

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