A Collaboration Project of Felicia Chan Jia Hui (1005682) & Khalishah Nadhirah Bte Abu Bakar (1000668)
As COVID-19 spread throughout the United States, it not only resulted in greater morbidity and mortality in terms of physical health but also had disastrous effects on the mental health of the nation. As opposed to previous disasters in the United States that affected certain specific regions or populations where aid and trauma response could be concentrated, the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the entire population of the country. While the risk of contracting the disease itself is a population-wide traumatizing event, the United States's physical and social environments have changed as well, leading to greater rates of isolation and loneliness, financial hardship, housing and food insecurity, and interpersonal violence. Further, the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted and exacerbated existing inequities and injustices faced primarily by black, indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) in the United States. Any of these factors by themselves can negatively affect the mental health of individuals, but in combination they have created a nationwide mental health crisis. (Mental Health America, 2021)
Therefore, to better understand mental health in the United States, we have come up with seven indicators to assess mental health index on.
| Category | Worst Performing State(s) | Best Performing State(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Talk to Coworkers | South Carolina at 0.83 | Kentucky at 0.17 |
| Family MH History | New Hampshire, North Carolina & South Carolina at 0.67 | Ohio at 0.23 |
| Medical Leave | South Carolina at 0.67 | New Jersey at 0.1 |
| Negative Effects | Wyoming at 0.75 | Arizona at 0.1 |
| Talk to Supervisor | Connecticut, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oklahoma & Wyoming at 0.75 | Arizona at 0.3 |
| Finding Treatment | Arizona, Idaho, Louisiana, Mississippi & Vermont at 1 | Kentucky at 0.33 |
| Work Interference | Idaho, Louisiana, Maine, Vermont & West Virginia at 1 | Kentucky & Mississippi at 0.33 |
Performs mediocrely in the variables on Medical Leave & Negative Effects. More work has to be done in the United States as a whole to ensure that workers are well taken care of.
Mental Health Index
To better understand the performance in each state, a chloropeth map was projected. Find out each state's associated Mental Health Index by hovering over it. Additionally, you can also click on each state to see the breakdown of the Mental Health Index indicators.
Based on the Protection Motivation Theory, we suggest that states scoring low on mental wellness may consider mental health interventions to strengthen mental wellness. States could adopt an approach in reducing barriers to entry and urging others to seek help based on their fear appeals would be a convenient chatbot that allows communication anytime, anywhere.
Click here for more information.
Pilotted in Singapore.
Information & Data sources obtained from: Mental Health America, Kaggle & Mai Bhumiwat from Dribbble