New findings released online by the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health detailed the extent of psychological distress exhibited by Americans during the recent coronavirus pandemic.
The results appeared in the journal JAMA.
In a survey, conducted in April 2020, researchers found that feelings of psychological distress increased substantially as a result of the pandemic. Among 1,468 U.S. adults surveyed, researchers reported an increase of 13.6 percent in April 2020 up from 3.9 percent in 2018.
“In April 2020, 13.6% of US adults reported symptoms of serious psychological distress, relative to 3.9% in 2018,” the findings state.
“Among the subgroups examined, in April 2020, symptoms of psychological distress were highest among young adults aged 18 to 29 years, adults with household income of less than $35 000 per year, and Hispanic adults.”
“We need to prepare for higher rates of mental illness among U.S. adults post-COVID,” said Beth McGinty, co-author of the study.
“It is especially important to identify mental illness treatment needs and connect people to services, with a focus on groups with high psychological distress including young adults, adults in low-income households, and Hispanics.”
