According to a Gallup poll, only 31% of American adults described their mental health or emotional well-being as “excellent,” which is the lowest rating in over two decades of polling.
Another 44% of Americans rated their mental health as “good,” and the combined 75% excellent and good rating is the lowest on record and 10 points lower than the average since 2001.
In addition, 17% of American adults described their mental health as “only fair” and 7% as “poor,” the highest percentage in Gallup’s trend.
This decline in mental health may be related to the COVID-19 pandemic and its accompanying economic concerns, as well as reduced stigma about seeking treatment and changes in the ways health insurance plans cover mental health treatment.
Younger adults, women, and those with lower annual household incomes are more likely to report negative assessments of their mental health.
Data from the same poll also showed that 23% of American adults reported visiting a mental health professional in the past 12 months, a significant increase from the 13% reported in 2004 and the 10% reported in 2001.
