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

June 1, 2020

Paul GionfriddoPresident and CEO

Mental Health and COVID-19: More Than 88,000 Impacted by Anxiety and Depression

Since the beginning of the worry about COVID-19 in mid-to-late February, there have been at least 88,405 additional positive depression and anxiety screening results over what had been expected (using November 2019-January 2020 average as a baseline).

There have been 54,093 additional moderate to severe depression and more than 34,312 additional moderate to severe anxiety screening results from late February through the end of May.

The per day number of anxiety screenings completed in May was 370% higher than in January, before coronavirus stress began. The per day number of depression screens was 394% higher in May than in January.

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

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Mental Health and COVID-19: Thoughts of Suicide & Self-Harm at Epidemic Levels

“Loneliness and isolation” is cited by the greatest percent of moderate to severe depression (73%) and anxiety (62%) screeners as contributing to mental health problems “right now.” These percentages have been steady since mid-April.

Despite a dramatic jump in screeners in May (more than 211,945 versus 69,626 in April), severity continued to track equal to or higher than our pre-pandemic baselines.

In May 2020, 21,165 depression screeners reported thinking of suicide or self-harm on more than half of days to nearly every day, with 11,894 reporting these thoughts nearly every day.

Special populations are also experiencing high anxiety and depression, including LGBTQ, caregivers, students, veterans/active duty, and people with chronic health conditions.

This isn’t just affecting people with anxiety and depression, but other mental health conditions, too. Among psychosis screeners in May, more than 16,000 were at risk, and the percentage at risk (73%) also increased.

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MHA Screening (www.mhascreening.org): Nearly 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).• Otherwise representative of the population.

In May, Per Day Anxiety Screenings Increased by 370% over January

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In April, Per Day Depression Screenings Increased by 394% over January

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More Than 34,312 Additional Screeners Have Anxiety Since COVID-19 Pandemic

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Excess Moderate-to-Severe screening results above the Nov-Jan 3-month average (2606 moderate, 3689 severe)

More Than 54,093 Additional Screeners Have Depression Since COVID-19 Pandemic

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Excess Moderate to Severe Depression Screens above the previous 3-month average (10,867 moderate to severe)

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April Anxiety Screeners: The Main Things Contributing to Mental Health Problems Right Now? Loneliness/Isolation #1

Reason Number of Responses Percent of Respondents

Loneliness/Isolation 3337 60%Past Trauma 2547 46%COVID-19 2491 45%Relationship Probs. 2121 38%Current Events 1728 31%Financial Probs. 1454 26%Grief 1336 24%

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N=5,525, scoring moderate to severe 4/13-4/30, “Choose up to 3”

May Anxiety Screeners: The Main Things Contributing to Mental Health Problems Right Now

Reason Number of Responders Percent of Respondents

Loneliness or isolation 15934 62.14%Past trauma 12219 47.65%Relationship problems 10540 41.10%Coronavirus 9326 36.37%

Current events (news, politics, etc.) 7542 29.41%

Grief or loss 6489 25.31%

Financial Problems 6315 24.63%

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N=25,643, scoring moderate to severe 5/1-5/31, “Choose up to 3”

April Depression Screeners: The Main Things Contributing to Mental Health Problems Right Now? Loneliness/Isolation #1

Reason Number of Responses Percent of Respondents

Loneliness/Isolation 6492 72%Past Trauma 4230 47%Relationship Probs. 3885 43%COVID-19 2874 32%Grief 2453 27%Financial Probs. 2128 24%Current Events 1906 21%

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N=8,989 scoring moderate to severe, collected 4/13-4/30, “Choose up to 3”

May Depression Screeners: The Main Things Contributing to Mental Health Problems Right Now

Reason Number of Responders Percent of Respondents

Loneliness or isolation 32910 72.59%Past trauma 20931 46.17%Relationship problems 20100 44.34%Coronavirus 13703 30.23%

Grief or loss 12413 27.38%

Financial Problems 10142 22.37%

Current events (news, politics, etc.) 9868 21.77%

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N=45,335, scoring moderate to severe 5/1-5/31, “Choose up to 3”

Screeners Are Not “Worried Well”:Depression Severity Higher In March-May v. Jan-Feb

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Depression Screeners, Percent Moderate to Severe

More Than 21,000 People Considered Self-Harm or Suicide in May

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13.2% 13.5%14.6% 14.1% 13.62%

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Suicidal/Self-Harm Thinking

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

Young People in May Still Disproportionately Experiencing Depression and Anxiety

Percent Moderate to Severe

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Depression Anxiety

Psychosis Screening: Screeners at Risk and Severity Up in May 2020

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Screeners At Risk Percent at Risk

Special Populations: Positive for Depression and Anxiety

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Other Health Condition

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Trauma Survivor

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Caregiver

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Vet/Active Duty

Depression Anxiety

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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

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Contact Us Mental Health America500 Montgomery StreetSuite 820Alexandria, VA 22314

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pgionfriddo@mhanational.org@pgionfriddo