Young Adult Anxiety or Depressive Symptoms and Mental Health Service Utilization During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Purpose: Young adult anxiety/depression (mental health) symptoms have increased from prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. This study assessed young adult (aged 18-25 years) anxiety/depressive symptoms, mental health care utilization (prescription drug use, counseling, and/or either), and unmet counseling/therapy needs utilizing the national Household Pulse Survey data from June to July 2021.

Methods: Young adult (n = 2,809) rates and subgroup differences in mental health symptoms (Generalized Anxiety Disorder-2 and/or Patient Health Questionnaire-2) were assessed, as were mental health care utilization and unmet counseling/therapy needs.

Results: In total, 48% of young adults had mental health symptoms. Among those, 39% received treatment and 36% reported unmet mental health counseling/therapy needs.

Discussion: These findings highlight young adults' ongoing mental health needs and low services receipt. Interventions and further research to reduce barriers to seeking and utilizing mental health care and to increase the capacity of providers to deliver culturally appropriate mental health care are needed.

Keywords: Anxiety; Behavioral health; COVID-19; Depression; Healthcare; Mental health; Unmet need; Utilization; Young adults.