Psychological Distress and Loneliness Reported by US Adults in 2018 and April 2020

Abstract

This study used national survey data to compare the prevalence symptoms of psychological distress and loneliness among US adults during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in April 2020 vs those reported in the National Health Interview Survey in 2018.

Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest Disclosures: None reported.

Figures

Figure.. Psychological Distress Among US Adults Aged 18 Years or Older Overall and by Subgroup, April 2020 vs 2018

April 2020 measures are from wave 1 of the Johns Hopkins COVID-19 Civic Life and Public Health Survey, fielded April 7-13, 2020 (N = 1468 adults aged ≥18 years). 2018 Measures of psychological distress are from the 2018 National Health Interview Survey (N = 25 417 adults aged ≥18 years). Psychological distress was measured using the Kessler 6 Psychological Distress Scale, with scores of 13 or higher indicating serious psychological distress. The error bars indicate 95% CIs. aRace/ethnicity was collected as part of the demographic profile in both the April 2020 Johns Hopkins survey and the 2018 National Health Interview Survey. In both surveys, the options were defined by the study investigators, and participants classified their own race/ethnicity.