QuoteWizard, a LendingTree company, and one of the nation’s leading online insurance marketplaces, released a report on depression rates among all 50 states, and the impact of mental health care access on decreasing numbers.
QuoteWizard found that states which rated highly for mental health care access also saw significant decreases in depression from 2014 to 2018. Massachusetts had the second-best access to mental healthcare and saw a 16% decrease in depression rates over a five year period. On the opposite end, states with low ratings to mental health care access mostly saw increases in depression rates from 2014 to 2018.
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Key findings:
- States with high rate of access to mental health care saw decrease in depression rates.
- Oregon, West Virginia and Maine have the highest rates of depression.
- Alaska, Louisiana and Tennessee saw largest increase of depression.
- New Mexico, Massachusetts and Connecticut saw the largest decrease of depression.
- Hawaii, New Jersey and California have lowest rates of depression.
- 17.3 million Americans living with depression.
- Access to mental health care through insurance is a significant barrier for people with depression and mental illness.
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QuoteWizard analyzed Center for Disease Control (CDC) data to find the prevalence of depression in each state. We analyzed depression rates in each state over a period from 2014 to 2018 to find a five-year average in each state. Rankings 1 to 50 are based on the five-year average of depression rates. Prevalence of depression rates in each state are determined by people who have indicated a diagnosis of a form of depression. Also included is the percentage change in depression rates from 2014 to 2018 to show to increase and decrease of depression rates in each state. Access to mental healthcare rankings provided by Mental Health America to show direct correlation of how access to mental healthcare impacts the increase or decrease of depression rates.
