Prior rates of poor mental health at a county level are associated with a higher burden of COVID-19 infection, according to a study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Yusuf Ransome, DrPH, and colleagues examined the link between the prior prevalence of poor mental health at the area level and subsequent rates of COVID-19. The analysis included mental health data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (2,839 US counties) and cumulative COVID-19 infection rates from January 22 to October 7, 2020 per 100,000 people. Between 2010 and 2019, 77% of US counties experienced significant increases in the average number of poor mental health days, including depression, stress, and problems with emotions. More poor mental health days in 2019 was positively associated with higher COVID-19 infection rates (relative risk ratio, 1.059), but a change in mental health over time was not significantly associated with COVID-19 rates.
