An independent health panel has proposed that doctors perform routine screenings for anxiety, depression, and suicide risk among American adults. The recommendation comes as rising mental health disorders correlate with the nation’s recent crime and inflation spikes.
The U.S Preventative Services Task Force – an advisory group appointed by the Department of Health and Human Services – presented the proposal in draft review form on Tuesday, highlighting that routine screening for adults can prevent mental health disorders from going untreated for years.
The panel noted that screenings are only a preventative measure and that follow-up with a medical professional is needed to treat mental health disorders.
“People who screen positive need further evaluation to determine if they have anxiety or depression,” the task force statement reads.
“After diagnosis, people should participate in shared decision making with their healthcare professionals to identify the treatment or combination of treatments that are right for them, and then be monitored on an ongoing basis to ensure that the chosen treatment is effective,” the statement further notes.
The task force recommended the screenings for adults under the age of 65, noting that evidence was “limited” for those over 65 years old.
The panel is currently taking public comments on its draft until October 17 and will present its final recommendations at a later date.
From August 2020 to February 2021, the number of adults diagnosed with symptoms of anxiety or depression increased from 36.4 percent to 41.5 percent in the United States, according to a study cited by the task force.
Only 11 percent of American adults reported symptoms of anxiety or depression between January 2019 and June 2019, according to the CDC.
As disorders have risen since 2020, the United States has experienced a dramatic rise in crime and inflation, while the unprecedented Chinese coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lockdowns also occurred during this time.
Major cities controlled by elected Democrat leaders and officials have undergone a significant crime wave due to liberal criminal justice reforms that became prevalent following the Black Lives Matter riots of the summer of 2020. Residents in large cities have expressed worry that their neighborhoods have become less safe with more homelessness and crime on the streets.
The economy has declined dramatically since the pandemic and President Joe Biden’s inauguration, as inflated consumer prices for basic necessities –– such as food, gas, and clothing –– have stressed American families.
Children and teenagers have also seen an increase in mental health disorders since the pandemic as many either had to endure remote learning or attend school with strict coronavirus policies, including masking during learning hours. School counselors have highlighted that since students have returned to in-person learning, they are suffering the “highest level of anxiety” the counselors have ever seen.
The task force also released a draft earlier this year recommending that children and teenagers receive preventative screening measures for anxiety and depression.
You can follow Ethan Letkeman on Twitter at @EthanLetkeman.
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