Trends in mental health symptoms, service use, and unmet need for services among U.S. adults through the first 9 months of the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Lay Summary The myriad stressors imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic have impaired mental health and well-being. Although evidence from early in the pandemic revealed elevated rates of mental health conditions, research has not documented whether psychological disorders have continued to rise as the pandemic has persisted. In this research, we assess data from nearly 1.5 million U.S. adults who participated in cross-sectional surveys each week from April through November 2020 to track trends in mental health disorder symptoms and services. Our results show that reports of anxiety and depression rose significantly from April to November 2020 to rates six times higher than in 2019. We also found evidence of growing unmet need for mental health services. Rising mental health challenges are being borne largely by young, less advantaged people of color and women. Growing disparities in mental health disorders and treatment raise concerns for psychological, social, and economic recovery from COVID-19.