Infographic – Mental Health Effects of Pandemic

Click on image for full-size view (Statista)

8 Aug. 2020. The physical symptoms experienced by people with Covid-19 infections are well documented over the past few months, but the psychological toll is also beginning to get attention. The business research company Statista published a chart yesterday with data from a report by the Commonwealth Fund showing one measure of those effects, displayed in this weekend’s infographic.

The Commonwealth Fund, a 102 year-old foundation in New York focusing on public health, conducted surveys in the U.S. and eight Western countries, from February to June, with questions on mental health experiences. The findings, released this week, show about one in three Americans (32%) say they experience stress, anxiety, or great sadness they find difficult to cope with alone since the start of the pandemic.

While the U.S. has the highest percentage with these experiences, it is hardly alone. About a quarter, 23 to 26 percent, of respondents in five countries — Canada, U.K., France, Australia, and New Zealand — also admit to these pressures. From one to two in 10 of respondents in Sweden (18%), Netherlands (14%), and Norway (10%) likewise have these difficulties.

Another question on the survey points to a likely cause of these pressures. Some three in 10 Americans (31%) and a quarter of Canadians (24%) say they suffered economic consequences during the pandemic. The question asked specifically if respondents if they were unable to pay for basic necessities like food and rent, used up most of their savings, or took out a loan because of the pandemic. About two in 10 respondents in Australia (21%), Sweden (19%), U.K. (18%), and New Zealand (18%) also admitted to personal economic effects from the pandemic.

More from Science & Enterprise:

• UCLA, Apple Partner on Depression Study
• Energy Employees Not Ready for Office Return
• Survey Tracking Covid-19 Mental Health Impact

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