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COVID – 19 Pandemic Exposes a Syndemic of Mental Health During the Public Health Emergency

Winston-Duley, Jacqueline L, Dr.
http://orcid.org/0009-0008-4452-5729
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=frank1746096106175461

Abstract Details

2025, Doctor of Healthcare Administration (D.H.A.), Franklin University, Health Programs.
This quantitative study examines nationwide mental health service utilization trends from 2018 to 2022, spanning pre-pandemic, pandemic, and post-pandemic periods. This research utilizes a convenience sample of 33,906 participants to study and track fluctuations in mental health diagnoses and treatment engagement across diverse demographic and geographic populations. Key variables include age, regional distribution, and specific mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Findings highlight significant shifts in access to and use of mental health services during the COVID-19 pandemic, revealing disparities based on socioeconomic and geographic factors. Notably, the top three mental health diagnoses account for approximately 65% of the total CMS mental health budget, which itself represents around 12% of CMS’s total healthcare expenditures. Medicaid alone spends an estimated $27.6 billion annually on mental health treatments, with anxiety, depression, and PTSD comprising a substantial share of these costs. Research suggests that Medicaid beneficiaries with PTSD incur 4.2% higher healthcare costs compared to those with major depressive disorder, further emphasizing the financial burden of untreated mental health conditions. This study contributes to understanding how large-scale disruptions impact mental health service engagement and informs future policy and resource allocation to improve mental health accessibility nationwide.
Gail Frankle (Committee Chair)
Karen Lankisch (Committee Member)
Tonia Young-Babb (Committee Member)
131 p.
Biostatistics; Business Administration; Business Education; Economics; Finance; Health; Health Care; Health Care Management; Health Education; Individual and Family Studies; Information Science; Information Technology; Instructional Design; Nursing; Operations Research; Psychobiology; Psychology; Public Health Education; Quantitative Psychology; Social Work; Statistics
COVID-19; Mental Health, Medicaid; Syndemic; Pandemic; Government Efficiency; Health Policy; Health Finance; Government Accountability; Healthcare Policy; Health Spending; Medicaid Population; Healthcare Management

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Winston-Duley, J. L. (2025). COVID – 19 Pandemic Exposes a Syndemic of Mental Health During the Public Health Emergency [Doctoral dissertation, Franklin University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=frank1746096106175461

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Winston-Duley, Jacqueline. COVID – 19 Pandemic Exposes a Syndemic of Mental Health During the Public Health Emergency . 2025. Franklin University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=frank1746096106175461.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Winston-Duley, Jacqueline. "COVID – 19 Pandemic Exposes a Syndemic of Mental Health During the Public Health Emergency ." Doctoral dissertation, Franklin University, 2025. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=frank1746096106175461

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

frank1746096106175461
84
© 2025, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Franklin University and OhioLINK.
Release 3.2.12