Americans' mental, physical health in steady decline since COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-10 pandemic is still taking a toll on the self-reported physical and mental health of Americans, as polling shows the lowest levels in more than 20 years.
A March 13 survey of 1,001 U.S. adults conducted by Gallup showed the perception of overall health among respondents has been declining since 2013. However, things began to fall sharply during the COVID —and they’ve yet to rebound.
However, the virus and lockdowns that kept people in their homes may only be part of the equation, as Gallup suggests other contributing factors.
“The shift in how people perceive their mental health since the pandemic could reflect several dynamics: heightened anxiety brought on by the COVID-19 crisis; heightened public and medical attention to mental health during this period; and a lessening of the stigma around admitting mental health challenges,” author of the published findings, Lydia Saad, Director of U.S. Social Research at Gallup, wrote.
“Supporting the hypothesis that increased anxiety is a factor, Gallup’s ongoing National Health and Well-Being Index documents a sharp increase in clinical diagnoses of depression among Americans since 2019,” she added.
During the survey, conducted in November 2024, 75% of respondents described their mental health as "good" or "excellent," marking a drop from 89% in 2012. The overall number ranking their perception of their mental wellbeing as “excellent” declined starkly, standing at 31% as opposed to 48% in 2012.
Reports on physical health show a similar pattern, with 76% responding with “good” or excellent,” down from the 82% reported at the peak in 2003. Breaking down the numbers, it’s the low number of “excellent” ratings (24%) that bring the overall positivity down, similar to mental health.
While these stats apply to all adults surveyed in the U.S., figures based on gender show some fluctuations. For example, older women (ages 65+) show an increase in “excellent” ratings for physician health, whereas young men (18-29) show the sharpest drop.
“The worsening of Americans’ already-subdued physical health reports has been milder and more evenly distributed across society. However, the somewhat greater decline in young adults’ perceptions that they are in excellent health is worthy of further investigation, and is something Gallup and West Health will be monitoring in future updates of this survey,” Saad wrote.
The full report is available here.
Chad is an award-winning writer and editor with over 15 years of experience working in media. He has a decade-long professional background in healthcare, working as a writer and in public relations.