RISE looks at recent headlines concerning social determinants of health (SDoH).
US depression rates higher than ever before
A new Gallup survey found both the rates of clinical depression in lifetime and current depression rates among Americans to have reached a new high. For the study, researchers surveyed more than 5,000 U.S. adults between February 21-28 across all 50 states and the District of Columbia, asking two questions: “Has a doctor or nurse ever told you that you have depression?” and “Do you currently have or are you currently being treated for depression?”
According to the findings, 29 percent of U.S. adults have been diagnosed with depression at some point in their lives and 17.8 percent of U.S. adults currently have or are currently being treated for depression, a 10 percent increase and seven percent increase, respectively, since 2015 when Gallup began measuring depression rates.
Rates of depression were found to be rising the most among women, young adults, and Black and Hispanic adults. Additional findings include:
- 36.7 percent of women reported being diagnosed with depression in their lifetime compared to 20.4 percent of men
- The rate of depression among women has increased twice the rate of that of men since 2017
- Individuals aged 18 to 29 and 30 to 44 have higher rates of clinical depression in their lifetime, 34.3 percent and 34.9 percent respectively, compared to those older than 44
- Women (23.8 percent) and young adults aged 18 to 29 (24.6 percent) have the highest rate of current depression
- The rates of lifetime depression have significantly increased among Black and Hispanic adults, surpassing rates among white adults
CDC announces SDoH grant funding
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP) announced this week a grant funding opportunity for organizations working to address population health and SDoH.
The ACTion ((Addressing Conditions To improve population health) grants will be available to state, local, territorial, and tribal jurisdictions aiming to execute policy, systems, and environmental change initiatives addressing SDoH by reducing chronic disease related disparities.
Five applicants will be awarded the grant funding to complete three-year ACTion projects related to one of four SDoH domains, including built environment (specifically housing and transportation), community-clinical linkages, food and nutrition security, and social connectedness. The selected recipients will receive up to $500,000 each year.
Applications must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. EST June 30. Click here to learn more.
Chronic pain more common among Americans than other long-term conditions
The incidence of chronic pain in U.S. adults is more common than other chronic conditions, such as diabetes, depression, and high blood pressure, according to a new study published in JAMA Network Open.
Using data from the National Health Interview Survey, researchers analyzed the incidence of chronic pain among 10, 415 survey participants from 2019 to 2020.
Key findings include:
- Nearly two-thirds of adults with chronic pain (61.4 percent) in 2019 continued to have chronic pain in 2020
- Of those with non-chronic pain in 2019, 14.9 percent reported chronic pain in 2020
- Lower educational attainment and older age were both linked to a higher rate of chronic pain in 2020
- The incidence of chronic pain in 2020 was high at 52.4 cases per 1,000 persons per year compared to other chronic diseases and conditions, including diabetes (7.1 cases per 1,000 persons per year), depression (15.9 cases per 1,000 persons per year), and hypertension (45.3 cases per 1,000 persons per year)
- Of those with chronic pain in 2019, 10.4 percent recovered and were pain free in 2020
“This study doesn’t just demonstrate the terrible burden of pain in this country. While 10 percent of people who recover from chronic pain give us hope, we have an urgent scientific imperative to expand our tools to fight pain so we can restore many more to a pain-free life,” said Helene M. Langevin, M.D., director of the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, in a study announcement. “The onset of any chronic condition is a pivotal moment and early intervention can make a significant difference in the toll that the condition takes on the individual.”
HHS announces $200 million more in funding of suicide and crisis prevention lifeline
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), has announced more than $200 million in additional funding for states, territories, and tribes to implement local capabilities for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline as well as other related crisis services.
The funding opportunities will include $177 million to improve local response, training efforts, and support services of the lifeline workforce; $17 million to federally recognized Indian tribes, tribal organizations, and urban Indian organizations to ensure culturally competent crisis center support and follow-up care; and $5 million to 988 Lifeline call center crisis follow-up programs.
“The timely investments in the 988 Lifeline at the federal, state and local levels are helping ensure that many more people in crisis are getting the help and support they need,” said Miriam E. Delphin-Rittmon, Ph.D., HHS assistant secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use and the leader of SAMHSA, in a statement. “Data continues to show an increase in overall calls, texts and chats from the year prior, and at the same time, answer rates are significantly improving, which means that more people are getting help and they are getting help more quickly, which is crucial for someone in crisis.”