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Published Online: 7 January 2022

Behavioral Health Diagnoses and Health Care Use Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Elise G. Valdes, Ph.D., M.S. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0648-5657 [email protected], Jack M. Gorman, M.D., Yingqian Ren, Ph.D., Matt Bowling, B.S., Leigh Steiner, Ph.D., Johnny Bethea, B.S.Pharm., Rola Aamar, Ph.D., Ross Andel, Ph.D., and Christopher Reist, M.D.Authors Info & Affiliations
Publication: Psychiatric Services
Volume 73, Number 7
https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.202100133
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Abstract

Objective:

Emerging evidence has suggested a population-wide worsening of psychiatric symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly among individuals with preexisting mental health conditions. The authors investigated whether reported behavioral health problems are being identified and treated.

Methods:

This observational cohort study retrospectively compared Medicaid data of patients from the first year of the pandemic (2020) in the United States (N=1,589,111 patients) with the corresponding data from the year before (2019; N=1,715,872 patients). Outcome measures included several behavioral health diagnoses and health care utilization.

Results:

During the pandemic period examined, the numbers of patients served, adults receiving a new diagnosis of anxiety, and children receiving a new diagnosis of depression all increased. Across all age groups, nonbehavioral health emergency department visits significantly decreased.

Conclusions:

These findings support reports of increases in psychiatric morbidity but do not provide evidence for increased demand for health care services.

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Information & Authors

Information

Published In

Go to Psychiatric Services
Go to Psychiatric Services
Psychiatric Services
Volume 73 • Number 7 • July 2022
Pages: 801 - 804
PubMed: 34991341

History

Received: 5 March 2021
Revision received: 7 October 2021
Accepted: 2 November 2021
Published online: 7 January 2022
Published in print: July 2022

Keywords

  1. Coronavirus
  2. COVID-19
  3. Anxiety disorders
  4. Depression
  5. Behavioral health

Authors

Details

Elise G. Valdes, Ph.D., M.S. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0648-5657 [email protected]
Relias, L.L.C., Morrisville, North Carolina (Valdes, Gorman, Ren, Bowling, Steiner, Bethea, Aamar, Reist); Franklin Behavioral Health Consultants, New York City (Gorman); Department of Aging Studies, University of South Florida, Tampa (Andel); Science 37 Inc., Culver City, California (Reist).
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Jack M. Gorman, M.D.
Relias, L.L.C., Morrisville, North Carolina (Valdes, Gorman, Ren, Bowling, Steiner, Bethea, Aamar, Reist); Franklin Behavioral Health Consultants, New York City (Gorman); Department of Aging Studies, University of South Florida, Tampa (Andel); Science 37 Inc., Culver City, California (Reist).
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Yingqian Ren, Ph.D.
Relias, L.L.C., Morrisville, North Carolina (Valdes, Gorman, Ren, Bowling, Steiner, Bethea, Aamar, Reist); Franklin Behavioral Health Consultants, New York City (Gorman); Department of Aging Studies, University of South Florida, Tampa (Andel); Science 37 Inc., Culver City, California (Reist).
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Matt Bowling, B.S.
Relias, L.L.C., Morrisville, North Carolina (Valdes, Gorman, Ren, Bowling, Steiner, Bethea, Aamar, Reist); Franklin Behavioral Health Consultants, New York City (Gorman); Department of Aging Studies, University of South Florida, Tampa (Andel); Science 37 Inc., Culver City, California (Reist).
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Leigh Steiner, Ph.D.
Relias, L.L.C., Morrisville, North Carolina (Valdes, Gorman, Ren, Bowling, Steiner, Bethea, Aamar, Reist); Franklin Behavioral Health Consultants, New York City (Gorman); Department of Aging Studies, University of South Florida, Tampa (Andel); Science 37 Inc., Culver City, California (Reist).
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Johnny Bethea, B.S.Pharm.
Relias, L.L.C., Morrisville, North Carolina (Valdes, Gorman, Ren, Bowling, Steiner, Bethea, Aamar, Reist); Franklin Behavioral Health Consultants, New York City (Gorman); Department of Aging Studies, University of South Florida, Tampa (Andel); Science 37 Inc., Culver City, California (Reist).
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Rola Aamar, Ph.D.
Relias, L.L.C., Morrisville, North Carolina (Valdes, Gorman, Ren, Bowling, Steiner, Bethea, Aamar, Reist); Franklin Behavioral Health Consultants, New York City (Gorman); Department of Aging Studies, University of South Florida, Tampa (Andel); Science 37 Inc., Culver City, California (Reist).
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Ross Andel, Ph.D.
Relias, L.L.C., Morrisville, North Carolina (Valdes, Gorman, Ren, Bowling, Steiner, Bethea, Aamar, Reist); Franklin Behavioral Health Consultants, New York City (Gorman); Department of Aging Studies, University of South Florida, Tampa (Andel); Science 37 Inc., Culver City, California (Reist).
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Christopher Reist, M.D.
Relias, L.L.C., Morrisville, North Carolina (Valdes, Gorman, Ren, Bowling, Steiner, Bethea, Aamar, Reist); Franklin Behavioral Health Consultants, New York City (Gorman); Department of Aging Studies, University of South Florida, Tampa (Andel); Science 37 Inc., Culver City, California (Reist).
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Notes

Send correspondence to Dr. Valdes ([email protected]).

Funding Information

The authors report no financial relationships with commercial interests.

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