CivicScience data shows time and time again that understanding well-being is fundamental to understanding consumer behavior. You cannot fully understand the modern American consumer without paying close attention to mental health and emotional well-being. But apart from its impact on consumer behavior, mental health is also a very important topic in its own right. This is an enduring lesson from the COVID-19 pandemic and what initiatives like Mental Health Awareness Month (held in May) aim to deliver. In the public eye.
New findings from Civic Science’s Mental/Behavioral Health and Wellness Report, which is free to download and share, show that most Americans are concerned about mental health and wellness in the United States, including access to care, suicide rates, and drug addiction. It shows that you are expressing concern about a related issue. Concerns about overall mental and emotional health are top of mind, with access to mental and behavioral care also high on the list.
And there is reason to be concerned. More than half of U.S. households report managing a mental health condition, with depression being the most common. This is reflected in overall mental well-being as measured by the CivicScience Well-Being Index, which shows that in households that control for depression, anxiety, and substance use, the average U.S. adult reported to have significantly lower levels of happiness compared to
Of course, mental health is more than just having a diagnosed mental health condition. Mental health depends on a variety of demographic, social, cultural, and environmental factors. For example, adults over 65 who live in high-income households and are financially secure are especially happy. However, it is disproportionately lower among young adults, low-income households, and LGBTQ+ adults.
Join the conversation: How is your current mental health?
The growing concern for mental and emotional health in the United States can be seen in the push for self-care seen across industries such as wellness and beauty. More Americans are seeking professional mental health care. Continuing tracking shows that the use of all mental health treatments has increased over the past year, with medication and individual counseling remaining the most prevalent.
Teletherapy (providing virtual or remote therapy or counseling) is one way people can seek help. Teletherapy usage has increased by 10 percentage points over the past five years, and most users love the experience. As of this year, 27% of U.S. adults say they have tried teletherapy, and an additional 12% are willing to try it.
However, significant barriers to care remain. Cost remains a major barrier to accessing mental health care. Data shows that while most adults today support the idea that openly discussing mental health is a good thing, nearly 30% do not consider mental health care to be beneficial, and 21% do not consider mental health care to be beneficial. % of respondents do not feel comfortable accessing mental health care.
Rating: How would you rank the availability of mental health care in the United States?
In the United States, the landscape of mental health and emotional health is changing as concern and acceptance grow and more people utilize health care and counseling services, such as teletherapy. But with 1 in 10 Americans feeling like they have no one to talk to about their mental health, there is work to be done when it comes to reducing the stigma surrounding mental health and improving access to care. There are more.
If you want to learn more about the state of your mental health and emotional well-being, download our free report. Contact us to learn more about the benefits available to CivicScience clients, including access to over 500,000 questions available in the CivicScience InsightStore™.
