Abstract

BACKGROUND: Poorer mental health was found early in the COVID-19 pandemic, yet mental health in the third year of COVID-19 has not been assessed on a general adult population level in the United States.METHODS: We used a nationally representative cross-sectional survey (Health Information National Trends Survey, HINTS 5 2020 n=3,865 and HINTS 6 2022 n=6,252). The prevalence of poor mental health was examined using a Patient Health Questionnaire-4 scale in 2020 and 2022. We also investigated the factors associated with poor mental health in 2022 using a weighted multivariable logistic regression adjusting for sociodemographic and health status characteristics to obtain the odds ratio (OR).OUTCOMES: The prevalence of poor mental health in adults increased from 2020 to 2022 (31.5% vs 36.3%, p=0.0005). U.S. adults in 2022 were 1.28 times as likely to have poor mental health than early in the pandemic. Moreover, individuals with food insecurity, housing instability, and low income had greater odds of poor mental health (ORs=1.78-2.55). Adults who were females, non-Hispanic Whites, or age 18-64 years were more likely to have poor mental health (ORs=1.46-4.15).INTERPRETATION: Mental health of U.S. adults worsened in the third year of COVID-19 compared to the beginning of the pandemic.

View details for DOI 10.1016/j.psychres.2023.115622

View details for PubMedID 38006717