According to Nevada Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) data, Nevada saw a sharp increase in mental health emergency room visits over the last nine years from 2010 to 2019, but during the COVID-19 pandemic A decrease was seen in Department of Public and Behavioral Health.
The surge in data comes from people in Nevada visiting emergency rooms for behavioral health needs like anxiety and depression.
“While we do not know the exact cause of this increase, we do know that anxiety symptoms are complex, dramatic, and often accompanied by symptoms that make people think they are experiencing a life-threatening event.” DHHS said in an email.
Anxiety has been the leading mental health-related diagnosis in emergency departments in Nevada since 2012, and although its rate and number increased significantly from 2010 to 2019, it decreased significantly from 2019 to 2021. Decreased. “Most Likely Due to the Impact of COVID-19,” Reported by State DHHS.
“Complications of the pandemic and social distancing concerns may have discouraged people experiencing the above symptoms from seeking emergency department care.” DHHS said in an email.
In the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, the global prevalence of anxiety increased by 27.6% in 2020, and depression increased significantly by 25.6%. According to the 2022 Scientific Overview released by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Nevada’s surge mirrors the trend in the United States.
so country reportThe rate of emergency room visits for mental health diagnoses increased from 6.6% to 10.9% between 2007 and 2016, according to the report. “It may indicate suboptimal provision of effective or acceptable outpatient mental health care, especially for conditions related to substance use.”
But the increase in Nevada is more dramatic.
In 2010, about 4,000 people visited the emergency room with depression, and another 4,000 with anxiety. Nine years later, about 16,000 emergency room visits for anxiety have quadrupled, and the number of people visiting her ER for depression has more than doubled to about 10,000.
Nevada’s population grew 15% over about the same period.
Overall, women have significantly higher rates of emergency room visits for depression, bipolar disorder, and PTSD. According to state reports, the state has significantly higher rates of men experiencing schizophrenia and suicidal thoughts.
Suicidal ideation, bipolar disorder, PTSD, and schizophrenia also increased, but less dramatically than anxiety and depression.
Data are based on hospital emergency billing data, categories are not mutually exclusive, and rates are calculated including population growth.
