Depressive Symptoms Increased for U.S. Adults During Pandemic

Significantly larger increase seen in prevalence of depressive symptoms in adults aged 20 to 44 years versus those aged 65 years or older

By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, May 7, 2025 (HealthDay News) — The prevalence of depressive symptoms increased among U.S. adults during the pandemic, according to a research letter published online May 5 in JAMA Internal Medicine.

Kosuke Inoue, M.D., Ph.D., from the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, and colleagues examined changes in depressive symptoms among U.S. adults overall and across sociodemographic characteristics using 2013 to 2023 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data. Participants included adults aged 20 years or older who were assessed using the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire depression module. During each survey cycle, the prevalence of depressive symptoms was estimated; changes in the prevalence of depressive symptoms during (August 2021-August 2023) versus before (2013-March 2020) the pandemic were examined.

Between 2013 and 2023, 23,040 adults were surveyed. The researchers found that the observed prevalence of depressive symptoms increased from 8.2 to 12.3 percent from 2013-2020 to 2021-2023. Depressive symptom prevalence increased by 3.5 percentage points during the pandemic after adjustment and accounting for secular trends. Between 2013-2020 and 2021-2023, there was a significantly larger increase seen in the prevalence of depressive symptoms among adults aged 20 to 44 years versus those aged 65 years or older (6.0 versus 1.1 percentage points). There were no differential changes noted in depressive symptom prevalence by sex, race and ethnicity, or income.

“The growing burden of depressive symptoms suggests additional efforts are needed to increase mental health care access, including addressing the mental health workforce shortage and incentivizing participation of behavioral health practitioners in insurance plans,” the authors write.

Two authors disclosed financial ties to the pharmaceutical industry.