APA poll: More people reporting pandemic-linked mental effects now vs. this time last year
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Anxiety remains high regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, with more people reporting mental health effects related to it compared with this time last year, according to recent poll results released by the American Psychiatric Association.
Parents reported particular concern for their children’s mental health.
“This poll shows that even as vaccines become more widespread, Americans are still worried about the mental state of their children,” APA President Jeffrey Geller, MD, MPH, said in a press release. “This is a call to action for policymakers, who need to remember that in our COVID-19 recovery, there’s no health without mental health.”
The APA sponsored the online survey, which was conducted between March 26 and April 5 among 1,000 adults in the United States.
Results showed 64% of participants reported anxiety about family and loved ones catching COVID-19 compared with 49% who reported anxiety about catching the virus themselves. From last year to this year, concern about family and loved ones catching COVID-19 increased from 56% to 64%. A total of 73% of Hispanics/Latinos, 76% of Black/African Americans and 59% of whites reported anxiety about the virus. Overall, 41% of participants said they are more anxious this year than last year.
A total of 43% of adults reported serious mental health effects of the pandemic, up from 37% since last year, with 59% of younger adults more likely to report these effects. A total of 24% of older adults reported serious mental health effects.
A total of 53% of adults with children aged younger than 18 years in their household reported concern about the mental state of their children, with 48% saying the pandemic caused mental health problems for at least one of their children. More than 25% of parents said they sought professional mental health help for their children due to the pandemic, and 49% of parents with children younger than age 18 years said their child received help from a mental health professional since the pandemic began. Among these children, a total of 23% received help from a primary care professional, 18% from a psychiatrist, 15% from a psychologist, 13% from a therapist, 10% from a social worker and 10% from a school counselor or school psychologist.
Regarding COVID-19 vaccines, 76% of participants said they have been or will get vaccinated, 22% said they did not plan to get vaccinated and 2% were unsure. A total of 53% of those who did not intend to be vaccinated reported a primary concern of side effects of the vaccine.
“While most people, including most children, will likely adapt and recover well as we emerge from the pandemic, we know from previous research that for some, the mental health impacts of this trauma and distress will continue to have repercussions into the future,” APA CEO and medical director Saul Levin, MD, MPA, said in the release. “We need to be prepared to help those who need it in the coming months and years.”
Reference:
APA. New APA poll shows sustained anxiety among Americans; more than half of parents are concerned about the mental well-being of their children. Accessed May 5, 2021. Available at: https://www.psychiatry.org/newsroom/news-releases/new-apa-poll-shows-sustained-anxiety-among-americans-more-than-half-of-parents-are-concerned-about-the-mental-well-being-of-their-children.