Mental Health Concerns Improve One Year into Pandemic
Mental Health Index reports awareness and concerns.
- By Shereen Hashem
- Mar 19, 2021
This time last year, the world spun out of control with U.S. workers unsure of job security, their mental health tagging along for the ride.
High mental health risks and declines in cognitive capacities were worrisome. According to the latest Mental Health Index: U.S. Worker Edition, employees are showing mental health improvements, beginning January 2021. By the end of last month, stress, risk of PTSD and depression - to name a few - returned to the rates they were pre-pandemic.
The Mental Health Index is powered by Total Brain, a mental health and brain performance self-monitoring and self-care platform. It’s distributed in partnership with the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions, One Mind at Work, the HR Policy Association and American Health Policy Institute.
CEO of Total Brain, Louis Gagnon, said, "Despite our nation beginning to see a light at the end of the tunnel, now is not the time for employers to pull back on mental health investments. A mental health crisis existed long before COVID-19. Data prior to the pandemic revealed a stunning 70% of U.S. workers' brain capacity is impaired to some degree by stress and high-risk of mental health conditions – a reminder that the pandemic only amplified an existing crisis that is still left to be addressed."
COVID-19 may not be impacting mental health the way it used to, but we can't forget challenges continue. Mental health remains fragile and workers are vulnerable. Setbacks are inevitable, especially as life and work continue to change.
The full Mental Health Index results can be found here.
About the Author
Shereen Hashem is the Associate Content Editor for Occupational Health & Safety magazine.