Indicators of poor mental health and stressors during the COVID-19 pandemic, by disability status: A cross-sectional analysis.
Catherine A Okoro, Tara W Strine, Lela McKnight-Eily and 2 others
PMID 33962896WHAT IT FOUND
In April and May 2020, US adults with any disability reported more depressive symptoms, suicidal thoughts, substance use, and stress than adults without disability: 56.8% versus 18.4% had depressive symptoms, and 20.7% versus 4.1% had suicidal thoughts.
Key findings
01Adults with any disability reported higher weighted prevalence of current depressive symptoms (56.8%) and frequent mental distress (24.8%) than adults without disability (18.4% and 7.8%).
02Suicidal ideation (20.7% with any disability, 4.1% without) and initiated or increased substance use (31.5% with any disability, 13.4% without) were also more common among adults with disability.
03Adults with any disability reported more stress and worry about accessing needed health care services, not having enough food, housing instability, household conflict, and emotional or physical abuse.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The survey had no baseline estimates for stress and worry to compare with April and May 2020. All answers were self-reported and could be affected by recall or social desirability. Respondents could live in single-family homes, congregate care settings, or group homes, so results may not match surveys of non-institutionalized people. The survey was in English and online, so it may not represent non-English speakers or adults without internet access. When stratified by disability status, the sample did not completely mirror the US population of adults with disability. Answers were from April and May 2020 and may not reflect later pandemic periods. Some disability-type estimates were based on small groups, such as 16 adults with hearing disability.
Declared interests
No funding was received for this study, and the authors reported no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the higher rates as proof that disability causes poor mental health. The study was a cross-sectional survey of self-reported answers, and some disability-type estimates were based on small groups, such as 16 adults with hearing disability.