A recent CVS Health Morning Consult survey indicates that mental health concerns among adults continue to rise significantly across the country.
Key Findings:
- Two-thirds (65%) of adults reported concerns about their own mental health or that of friends and family, marking an increase of six percentage points from 2022 and 15 percentage points from 2020.
- About 77% of adults view mental health as a top concern, comparable to the economy (81%).
- Seventy percent of parents are more concerned about their children’s mental health than their physical health (66%).
- Respondents are increasingly turning to mental well-being apps (48%) and therapists (55%) for care.
“Mental health became a top concern in 2020 and it has only risen since,” said Taft Parsons III, M.D., Vice President and Chief Psychiatric Officer, CVS Health. “Uncertainty around the future, current events, and social media continue to drive anxiety among adults. Our priority remains improving access to quality virtual and in-person mental health care and ensuring we have resources in place to address the unique needs of individuals.”
Impact of Social Media on Mental Health
- Nearly four in 10 adults (37%) believe social media negatively affects society.
- A third of adults have turned off social media notifications and are spending less time on these platforms.
- About half of parents feel social media impacts their children’s worldview and development.
- Conversely, over one in three adults (36%) say social media has taught them about mental health issues.
“Our increasing use of technology has helped increase access to mental health care – CVS Health has had over 43 million mental health virtual visits since 2020 — and created a way for people to talk openly about the topic, reducing stigma,” added Parsons III. “But as we navigate the impacts of social media on mental health, it’s important to highlight its limitations and set boundaries for ourselves and our children.”
Commitment to Mental Health Care CVS Health is dedicated to enhancing access to mental health services both in-person and virtually:
- In select states, consumers have access to mental health services at MinuteClinic®. Approximately 78% of patients report a reduction in their depression symptoms.*
- MinuteClinic offers depression screenings virtually and at all locations.
- CVS Health launched Be Seen Be Heard to increase depression screenings in underserved communities.
- As part of its Centering Youth Mental Health program, the CVS Health Foundation awarded grants to support adolescent and young adult mental health services.
- Project Health includes depression screenings at all their events.
- Resources for Living (RFL) provides a comprehensive approach to mental health, improving patient access and reducing costs.
- CVS Health has seen a 16% reduction in suicide attempts among Aetna adult Commercial members compared to a 2019 baseline.
Additional Mental Health Resources
- Signify Health® screens individuals for depression in every In-Home Health Evaluation visit.
- Oak Street Health® offers both behavioral and physical health appointments.
- CVS Health provides various mental health resources and guides on CVSHealth.com, including a resource center for different populations such as the LGBTQ+ community, young adults, parents, and caregivers.
- Through the Beauty Mark initiative, CVS Health promotes a positive self-image and mental well-being by not materially altering beauty imagery in its marketing.
CVS Health remains committed to improving mental health care accessibility and supporting the mental well-being of all individuals.
