Exploring the Rise in Mental Health Care Use by Demographics and Insurance Status

Many people in the United States experience mental health conditions, which raises questions about mental health service utilization patterns and what barriers exist with connecting people to services. Prior research suggests that mental health service utilization increased over time. This analysis explores more recent data, from 2019 to 2022, to understand the latest trends in utilization of mental health services and how it differs by demographics and insured status. In this analysis, receipt of mental health care is measured as the share of people who say they received mental health counseling and/or prescription medication for mental health concerns in the last year. Estimates shown are KFF analyses of National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data among adults in the U.S. from 2019 to 2022.

In 2022, 23% of adults received mental health treatment, up from 19% in 2019 (Figure 1). Specifically, the share of adults saying they received mental health counseling in the past year increased from 10% in 2019 to 13% in 2022. Similarly, the share of adults reporting they took prescription medication for mental health conditions increased from 16% to 19% during the same period. Receipt of prescription medication remained consistently higher than counseling (19% vs. 13%, respectively, in 2022).

Compared to older adults, young adults (ages 18-26) were more likely to receive mental health treatment and experienced the highest increase in receipt of treatment over time. In 2022, 26% of young adults reported receiving counseling and/or prescription medications for mental health conditions in the past year, representing a significantly higher share compared to all other adults (ages 27 and above) (Figure 2).

Young adults also experienced the largest percent increase in the share of adults receiving mental health treatment from 2019 to 2022 (45%), followed by adults ages 27-50 (29%), 51-64 (13%), and 65 and above (1%) (Figure 2). Although receipt of mental health services has increased among young adults in recent years, other KFF analyses found that leading up to the pandemic, many young adults with mental health conditions did not receive treatment. The lack of treatment among this population may be linked to costs, transitioning from pediatric to adult health care, and difficulties accessing mental health services in college settings.

Women are nearly twice as likely to report receiving mental health treatment in the past year compared to men. In 2022, 29% of women reported receiving mental health services, compared to 17% of men (Figure 3). Research suggests men may be less likely to seek mental health care than women. Men are also more likely to be uninsured and less likely to report a usual source of health care. Separately, women are more likely than men to report experiencing mental health disorders, including serious mental illness.

Across racial and ethnic groups, past year receipt of mental health treatment was highest among White adults and lowest among Asian adults. In 2022, 28% of White adults reported receiving counseling and/or prescription medication for mental health conditions in the past year, compared to 16% of Hispanic and Black adults and 9% of Asian adults. A recent KFF poll found that, compared to their White peers, Hispanic, Black, and Asian adults disproportionately report challenges with mental health care utilization, including finding a provider who can understand their background and experiences, lack of information, and stigma or embarrassment. Additionally, the lack of a diverse mental health care workforce, absence of culturally informed treatment options, and stereotypes and discrimination associated with poor mental health may also contribute to limited mental health treatment among Black and Asian adults. Specifically among Asian people, cultural attitudes towards mental health are a factor that may lead to both lower reporting of mental health concerns and lower service utilization.

Adults with insurance coverage are more likely to report past year receipt of mental health care than adults without insurance coverage (25% vs. 11% in 2022, Figure 5). Despite higher utilization of mental health care over time – driven by insured adults – challenges remain with accessing services. For instance, KFF’s 2023 Consumer Survey found that 43% of insured adults with mental health concerns said there was a time in the past year when they did not get the mental health treatment they thought they needed, and 45% gave their insurance a negative rating for the availability of mental health providers. Further, KFF’s 2023 Employer Health Benefits Survey found that among employers offering health benefits, a higher share reported having a sufficient number of primary care providers in their plan’s networks (91%) compared to those who reported having a sufficient number of behavioral health care providers (67%).