In comparing prevalence of mental health issues between 2018 and 2019, about 25% of Ohioans reported experiencing mental health problems.
"Ohio slid from 11th to 25th in the group's annual mental health rankings, meaning the situation dramatically worsened year-over-year. The scale measures the prevalence of issues as well as access to health care."
"Just over 6% of Ohio adults reported serious thoughts of suicide — an increase of nearly 1%, the highest change reported nationwide."
But what toll has the pandemic had on mental health?
The CDC reports that "During August 2020–February 2021, the percentage of adults with recent symptoms of an anxiety or a depressive disorder increased from 36.4% to 41.5%..." in the United States.
Mental health was a great for Ohioans concern pre-pandemic, but with the pandemic-related surge in mental health related issues, it is more important than ever for Ohioans to take mental health concerns seriously.