CDC: US sees rise in mental health treatment

Editor's Note

New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that more adults in the US are seeking treatment for mental health issues.

Among the findings:

• The percentage of adults of all ages receiving mental health treatment increased from 19.2% in 2019 to 21.6% in 2021, and those aged 18 to 44 from 18.5% to 23.2%.
• Women had more of an increase in mental health treatment (from 23.8% to 28.6%) than men (from 13.1% to 17.8%).
• The percentage of non-Hispanic Blacks who received treatment rose from 12.4% in 2019 to 17.0% in 2020, and declined in 2021 to 14.8%.
• The percentage of adults who received mental health treatment from 2019 to 2021 increased regardless of urbanization level—large metropolitan areas (from 16.8% to 22.2%), medium or small metropolitan areas (from 21.1% to 24.6%), and nonmetropolitan areas (from 20.0% to 25.2%).

Adults were considered to have received any treatment if they reported taking prescription drugs, receiving counseling or therapy, or both.