Pandemic Effect: Over 20% Of US Adults Had Mental Health Treatment In 2020, Finds Study

Over 20 percent of U.S. adults underwent mental-health treatment in the year 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is according to a recent report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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CDC¡¯s National Centre for Health Statistics looked at data from the National Health Interview Survey in 2019 and 2020. The survey has been in practice since 1957.

Researchers found that in 2019, 19.2 percent of U.S. adults had received mental health treatment in the last 12 months. This number went up to 20.3 in 2020 -- nearly 6.7 percent more than the previous year, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Moreover, 15.8 percent of individuals in 2019 had taken prescription meds for their mental health condition, whereas 9.5 percent received therapy and counselling. However, in 2020, this number spiked to 16.5 percent and 10.1 percent respectively.

Researchers also found that younger adults were more ready to take mental health treatment compared to older adults. 20.9 percent of 18 to 44-year-olds received treatment compared to 20.5 percent of 45 to 64-year-olds and only 18.7 percent for those aged 65 years or more.

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Reuters

Around 17.7 percent of those aged between 45 to 64 and 17.3 percent of those with 65 years of age and more were on medication, compared to just 15.4 percent of those from the age group of 18-44 years.

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On the other hand, more younger adults from the age group of 18 to 44 preferred counselling sessions at 13.2 percent compared to 9.2 percent among those aged between 45 to 64 years old and 4.7 percent among those aged 65 and over.

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