COVID – 19 Pandemic Exposes a Syndemic of Mental Health During the Public Health Emergency
Date of Award
Spring 2025
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Healthcare Administration (DHA)
Committee Chair
Gail Frankle
Committee Member
Karen Lankisch
Committee Member
Tonia Young-Babb
Abstract
This quantitative study examines nationwide mental health service utilization trends from 2018 to 2022, spanning pre-pandemic, pandemic, and post-pandemic periods. This research utilizes a convenience sample of 33,906 participants to study and track fluctuations in mental health diagnoses and treatment engagement across diverse demographic and geographic populations. Key variables include age, regional distribution, and specific mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Findings highlight significant shifts in access to and use of mental health services during the COVID-19 pandemic, revealing disparities based on socioeconomic and geographic factors. Notably, the top three mental health diagnoses account for approximately 65% of the total CMS mental health budget, which itself represents around 12% of CMS’s total healthcare expenditures. Medicaid alone spends an estimated $27.6 billion annually on mental health treatments, with anxiety, depression, and PTSD comprising a substantial share of these costs. Research suggests that Medicaid beneficiaries with PTSD incur 4.2% higher healthcare costs compared to those with major depressive disorder, further emphasizing the financial burden of untreated mental health conditions. This study contributes to understanding how large-scale disruptions impact mental health service engagement and informs future policy and resource allocation to improve mental health accessibility nationwide.
Recommended Citation
Winston-Duley, Jacqueline L., "COVID – 19 Pandemic Exposes a Syndemic of Mental Health During the Public Health Emergency" (2025). All Doctoral Student Dissertations. 201.
https://fuse.franklin.edu/docpub/201
