[ad_1]
Symptoms of depression and anxiety among American adults declined in the first half of 2021, as Americans received COVID-19 vaccines and state lockdowns and other restrictions were lifted.
According to a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study released Tuesday, increases and decreases in the frequency of symptoms reported state and nationally “reflected the weekly number of new COVID-19 cases over the course of from the same period. . “
IMPLANTED DEVICE STIMULATES PATIENT’S BRAIN, TREATS SEVERE DEPRESSION, RESEARCHERS FIND
The agency also found that levels reported in June remained high compared to 2019 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) estimates and that the frequency of symptoms increased after August 2020, peaking in December of the year. last in January 2021.
The CDC used survey data obtained from the US Census Bureau’s bi-weekly Household Pulse Survey (HPS), which began in April 2020 and was taken from a selection of the main US address file. Census Bureau which includes both email and mobile phone numbers. approximately 117 million housing units in the United States in all 50 states and Washington, DC
The analysis focused on the data collected during the 19 bi-weekly surveys from August 2020 to June 2021, with interruptions from December 22, 2020 to January 5, 2021 and from March 30 to April 13, 2021.
The researchers analyzed more than 1.5 million responses for the 19 waves to obtain the results.
Nationally, the average frequency of anxiety symptoms increased 13% from August 2020 to December 2020 and decreased by 26.8% from December 2020 to June 2021.
The severity of depression increased 14.8% from August 2020 to December 2020 and declined by almost a quarter from December 2020 to June 2021.
“Over the entire study period, the frequency of symptoms of anxiety and depression was positively correlated with the average number of daily cases of COVID-19. Mental health services and resources, including behavioral telehealth services, are critical during the COVID-19 pandemic, ”CDC wrote.
SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER: HOW TO RECOGNIZE IT
Mississippi was found to be among the states with the highest increase in percentages of anxiety and depression, while Florida and New York City had the lowest percentage increase in percentages of depression and anxiety, respectively.
There were at least six limitations to the study, the agency noted, including that the fifth decrease in symptom frequency seen through June 2021 occurred before the recent increase in delta variant cases.
The researchers added that mental health care and resource delivery systems, like behavioral telehealth services, are critical during the pandemic – especially among populations that have been disproportionately affected by the virus.
The CDC said that members of populations in worst-affected areas may be “more vulnerable to the psychological consequences of COVID-19” and that the impact of the pandemic on mental health could have community-specific effects when rates morbidity and mortality are increasing.
“Fluctuations in anxiety and depression symptoms during the pandemic underscore the importance of real-time monitoring of mental health symptoms. Monitoring these outcomes, including by demographic characteristics, can provide early indicators of potential increases in demand for mental health services and for health care providers to treat people with clinically significant symptoms, ”concluded study.
A previous CDC report from August 2020 found that 31% of American adults surveyed in June reported symptoms of anxiety or depression – National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Dir figures. Joshua Gordon wrote that they were nearly double the rates expected before the pandemic.
In December, the percentage of American adults who suffered from at least one of these disorders rose to 42%: an increase of 11% from the previous year, Nature reported in February.
Another CDC survey released in July found that more than half of public health officials reported mental health issues during the pandemic.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Gordon said crisis response services like the SAMHSA Disaster Hotline (1-800-985-5990) and the Crisis text line (HOME text to 741741) reported substantial increases in volume at the onset of the pandemic and noted that the CDC, NIMH and other agencies have made efforts to publicize available mental health resources, including the Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800 -273-TALK).
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline offers free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or in emotional distress, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
[ad_2]
Source link