Coronavirus stresses Americans more than others, study finds

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Fri, 2020-08-07 15:00 — mike kraft

Coronavirus stresses Americans more than others, study finds A third of US adults are dealing with mental health concerns during the Covid-19 pandemic, significantly more than other countries, the Commonwealth Fund found. Naomi Thomas, CNN CNN

The coronavirus pandemic has turned life upside down around the world, with many workers losing their jobs, economies plummeting and parents worried about reopening schools.

But the US is being hit harder in more than one way. Not only does the US have the highest number of cases and deaths; the US population is also suffering more mental health consequences than people in other countries, according to a new report from the Commonwealth Fund released on Thursday.

"As our country struggles with the surging number of cases and the economic havoc that the pandemic is wreaking, people in other countries are living a different, better reality," Dr. David Blumenthal, president of the Commonwealth Fund, said in a news release alongside the report. "Americans should realize that our country can do better, too."

Americans had the highest percentage, 33%, of people reporting experiencing stress, anxiety or great sadness that was difficult to cope with alone. The countries with the next highest levels were Canada and the UK, both of which reported 26% of people feeling anxious or stressed.

The country with the lowest levels was Norway, where 10% of adults reported these mental health concerns.

"Past research show that even prior to the pandemic, Americans were already among the most likely to experience emotional distress," the report read. "It seems that in several countries the pandemic has contributed to higher rates of emotional distress compared to before the outbreak."

There are a number of reasons why the US could be doing worse when compared with other countries -- a lack of universal insurance coverage, trusted sources of primary care, social support programs and leadership response, according to one of the report authors, Eric Schneider, who addressed these in a news briefing on Wednesday.

Effective leaders, he said, "have used clear and consistent messaging based on scientific evidence and the advice of experts."...

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