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Abstract

Objective:

The authors examined changes in perceived anxiety, stress, and mental health symptoms (i.e., psychological distress) reported by recipients of New York State public mental health services during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as whether these changes varied by demographic characteristics or pandemic-related socioeconomic challenges.

Methods:

A statewide survey of service recipients (N=3,483) was conducted (May 8–June 22, 2020). Descriptive analyses were summarized, and logistic regression was used to evaluate associations between increases in reported psychological distress and age, gender, region of residence, race and ethnicity, socioeconomic challenges, and alcohol or drug use.

Results:

Fifty-five percent of respondents (N=1,933) reported a slight or moderate increase in COVID-19–related psychological distress, and 15% (N=520) reported a substantial increase. In adjusted models, substantial elevations in psychological distress were associated with identifying as female (AOR=1.83, 95% CI=1.50–2.25), experiencing three or more pandemic-related socioeconomic challenges (AOR=2.41, 95% CI=1.91–3.03), and reporting increased use of alcohol or drugs (AOR=1.81, 95% CI=1.34–2.44). Compared with non-Hispanic/Latinx White service recipients, non-Hispanic/Latinx Black individuals had lower odds of reporting substantially increased psychological distress (AOR=0.59, 95% CI=0.45–0.76), as did non-Hispanic/Latinx Asian-descent individuals (AOR=0.28, 95% CI=0.12–0.64).

Conclusions:

In this large sample of recipients of New York State public mental health services, the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on psychological well-being was widespread and varied by gender, race and ethnicity, and socioeconomic vulnerability. These relationships must be considered in ongoing efforts to provide optimal care for this population.

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Information & Authors

Information

Published In

Go to Psychiatric Services
Go to Psychiatric Services
Psychiatric Services
Pages: 444 - 450
PubMed: 37960865

History

Received: 20 January 2023
Revision received: 30 August 2023
Accepted: 18 September 2023
Published online: 14 November 2023
Published in print: May 01, 2024

Keywords

  1. Racial-ethnic disparities
  2. Public health
  3. COVID-19
  4. Alcohol and drug use
  5. Psychological distress
  6. Patient needs

Authors

Details

Amy Ehntholt, Sc.D. [email protected]
New York State Office of Mental Health, Albany (Ehntholt, Rodgers, Samaranayake, Anderson, Cohen, Feeney, Leckman-Westin, Marinovic, Pritam, Chen, Smith, Dixon, Saake); New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York City (Rodgers, Lewis-Fernández, Anderson, Cohen); Department of Psychiatry, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York City (Ehntholt, Lewis-Fernández, Smith, Dixon); Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, New York (Lekas, Capobianco).
Ian T. Rodgers, M.P.H.
New York State Office of Mental Health, Albany (Ehntholt, Rodgers, Samaranayake, Anderson, Cohen, Feeney, Leckman-Westin, Marinovic, Pritam, Chen, Smith, Dixon, Saake); New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York City (Rodgers, Lewis-Fernández, Anderson, Cohen); Department of Psychiatry, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York City (Ehntholt, Lewis-Fernández, Smith, Dixon); Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, New York (Lekas, Capobianco).
Helen-Maria Lekas, Ph.D.
New York State Office of Mental Health, Albany (Ehntholt, Rodgers, Samaranayake, Anderson, Cohen, Feeney, Leckman-Westin, Marinovic, Pritam, Chen, Smith, Dixon, Saake); New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York City (Rodgers, Lewis-Fernández, Anderson, Cohen); Department of Psychiatry, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York City (Ehntholt, Lewis-Fernández, Smith, Dixon); Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, New York (Lekas, Capobianco).
Roberto Lewis-Fernández, M.D.
New York State Office of Mental Health, Albany (Ehntholt, Rodgers, Samaranayake, Anderson, Cohen, Feeney, Leckman-Westin, Marinovic, Pritam, Chen, Smith, Dixon, Saake); New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York City (Rodgers, Lewis-Fernández, Anderson, Cohen); Department of Psychiatry, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York City (Ehntholt, Lewis-Fernández, Smith, Dixon); Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, New York (Lekas, Capobianco).
Dhanushki Samaranayake, Ph.D.
New York State Office of Mental Health, Albany (Ehntholt, Rodgers, Samaranayake, Anderson, Cohen, Feeney, Leckman-Westin, Marinovic, Pritam, Chen, Smith, Dixon, Saake); New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York City (Rodgers, Lewis-Fernández, Anderson, Cohen); Department of Psychiatry, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York City (Ehntholt, Lewis-Fernández, Smith, Dixon); Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, New York (Lekas, Capobianco).
Adrienne Anderson, M.P.H.
New York State Office of Mental Health, Albany (Ehntholt, Rodgers, Samaranayake, Anderson, Cohen, Feeney, Leckman-Westin, Marinovic, Pritam, Chen, Smith, Dixon, Saake); New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York City (Rodgers, Lewis-Fernández, Anderson, Cohen); Department of Psychiatry, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York City (Ehntholt, Lewis-Fernández, Smith, Dixon); Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, New York (Lekas, Capobianco).
Linda Capobianco, M.A.
New York State Office of Mental Health, Albany (Ehntholt, Rodgers, Samaranayake, Anderson, Cohen, Feeney, Leckman-Westin, Marinovic, Pritam, Chen, Smith, Dixon, Saake); New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York City (Rodgers, Lewis-Fernández, Anderson, Cohen); Department of Psychiatry, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York City (Ehntholt, Lewis-Fernández, Smith, Dixon); Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, New York (Lekas, Capobianco).
Dana E. Cohen, M.P.A.
New York State Office of Mental Health, Albany (Ehntholt, Rodgers, Samaranayake, Anderson, Cohen, Feeney, Leckman-Westin, Marinovic, Pritam, Chen, Smith, Dixon, Saake); New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York City (Rodgers, Lewis-Fernández, Anderson, Cohen); Department of Psychiatry, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York City (Ehntholt, Lewis-Fernández, Smith, Dixon); Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, New York (Lekas, Capobianco).
Suzanne Feeney, M.B.A.
New York State Office of Mental Health, Albany (Ehntholt, Rodgers, Samaranayake, Anderson, Cohen, Feeney, Leckman-Westin, Marinovic, Pritam, Chen, Smith, Dixon, Saake); New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York City (Rodgers, Lewis-Fernández, Anderson, Cohen); Department of Psychiatry, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York City (Ehntholt, Lewis-Fernández, Smith, Dixon); Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, New York (Lekas, Capobianco).
Emily Leckman-Westin, Ph.D.
New York State Office of Mental Health, Albany (Ehntholt, Rodgers, Samaranayake, Anderson, Cohen, Feeney, Leckman-Westin, Marinovic, Pritam, Chen, Smith, Dixon, Saake); New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York City (Rodgers, Lewis-Fernández, Anderson, Cohen); Department of Psychiatry, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York City (Ehntholt, Lewis-Fernández, Smith, Dixon); Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, New York (Lekas, Capobianco).
Sonia Marinovic, B.A.
New York State Office of Mental Health, Albany (Ehntholt, Rodgers, Samaranayake, Anderson, Cohen, Feeney, Leckman-Westin, Marinovic, Pritam, Chen, Smith, Dixon, Saake); New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York City (Rodgers, Lewis-Fernández, Anderson, Cohen); Department of Psychiatry, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York City (Ehntholt, Lewis-Fernández, Smith, Dixon); Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, New York (Lekas, Capobianco).
Riti Pritam, M.A., M.R.P.
New York State Office of Mental Health, Albany (Ehntholt, Rodgers, Samaranayake, Anderson, Cohen, Feeney, Leckman-Westin, Marinovic, Pritam, Chen, Smith, Dixon, Saake); New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York City (Rodgers, Lewis-Fernández, Anderson, Cohen); Department of Psychiatry, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York City (Ehntholt, Lewis-Fernández, Smith, Dixon); Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, New York (Lekas, Capobianco).
Shuo Chen, M.P.H.
New York State Office of Mental Health, Albany (Ehntholt, Rodgers, Samaranayake, Anderson, Cohen, Feeney, Leckman-Westin, Marinovic, Pritam, Chen, Smith, Dixon, Saake); New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York City (Rodgers, Lewis-Fernández, Anderson, Cohen); Department of Psychiatry, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York City (Ehntholt, Lewis-Fernández, Smith, Dixon); Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, New York (Lekas, Capobianco).
Thomas E. Smith, M.D.
New York State Office of Mental Health, Albany (Ehntholt, Rodgers, Samaranayake, Anderson, Cohen, Feeney, Leckman-Westin, Marinovic, Pritam, Chen, Smith, Dixon, Saake); New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York City (Rodgers, Lewis-Fernández, Anderson, Cohen); Department of Psychiatry, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York City (Ehntholt, Lewis-Fernández, Smith, Dixon); Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, New York (Lekas, Capobianco).
Lisa B. Dixon, M.D., M.P.H.
New York State Office of Mental Health, Albany (Ehntholt, Rodgers, Samaranayake, Anderson, Cohen, Feeney, Leckman-Westin, Marinovic, Pritam, Chen, Smith, Dixon, Saake); New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York City (Rodgers, Lewis-Fernández, Anderson, Cohen); Department of Psychiatry, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York City (Ehntholt, Lewis-Fernández, Smith, Dixon); Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, New York (Lekas, Capobianco).
Amanda Saake, M.S.W.
New York State Office of Mental Health, Albany (Ehntholt, Rodgers, Samaranayake, Anderson, Cohen, Feeney, Leckman-Westin, Marinovic, Pritam, Chen, Smith, Dixon, Saake); New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York City (Rodgers, Lewis-Fernández, Anderson, Cohen); Department of Psychiatry, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York City (Ehntholt, Lewis-Fernández, Smith, Dixon); Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, New York (Lekas, Capobianco).

Notes

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

Competing Interests

The authors report no financial relationships with commercial interests.

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