OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY
Open search box
Understand the Problem
Coast to Forest Web Library
This page defines mental health and gives a brief overview of the state of mental health in the United States and Oregon.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “mental health includes our emotional, psychological and social wellbeing and it affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices.”
It is important to acknowledge that mental health is a spectrum and that a person’s mental health can change day to day or over time.
For example, someone may have a poor mental health day, but may not have a mental health condition. Conversely, someone with a mental health condition can have a good mental health day.
Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood. Mental health is impacted by many factors including a person’s social, economic, and physical environments (pdf), otherwise known as the social determinants of health.
As a result, risk factors for mental health conditions often stem from health inequities surrounding race, ethnicity, gender, age, education, and socioeconomic status. Health inequities are differences in health that are caused by avoidable and unfair policies, systems, and practices that create barriers for some people or groups of people.
Additionally, trauma has been identified as a risk factor for mental health conditions. Trauma can occur when a person experiences an event, a series of events, or a long-standing condition that overwhelms their ability to cope. To learn more about trauma, please visit Trauma Informed Oregon.
There are two different categories of mental illness:
The biggest difference between an AMI and a SMI is the severity, with an SMI having significant impact on daily living. Examples of serious mental illnesses include, but are not limited to, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, and schizophrenia.
In 2021, about 22.8% of adult Americans were living with any mental illness and about 5.5% with serious mental illness.
This bar graph shows the past year prevalence of serious mental illness among U.S. adults in 2021 by sex, age, as well as race and ethnicity. The graph shows that the prevalence rates are highest for females, people 18-25 years-old, and American Indian/Alaskan Natives.
This graphic is based on data from the 2021 National Survey of Drug Use and Health.
View interactive version of this chart at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).
Oregon ranks as the worst state in the nation for prevalence of mental illness.
Out of the approximately four million people in Oregon, 7% of adults are living with a serious mental health condition, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depression
This bar graph compares the percentage of adults reporting symptoms of anxiety and/or depression from February 1 to February 13, 2023 in Oregon versus the United States.
The graph shows that Oregon adults report a higher percentage of symptoms at 35.3% compared to the overall U.S. at 32.3%.
This graphic is based on KFF analysis of the Household Pulse Survey.
This bar graph compares the percentage of adults reporting symptoms of anxiety and/or depression with unmet needs for counseling or therapy from April 27 to May 9, 2022 in Oregon versus the United States.
The graph shows that Oregon adults report a higher percentage of unmet needs at 32.3% compared to the overall U.S. at 28.2%.
This graphic is based on KFF analysis of the Household Pulse Survey.
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant stress for many through various restrictions including lockdowns and isolation, social distancing, closures of business, and transitions to remote work and learning, among others. These stressors were often exacerbated through confusing, unclear or inaccessible communication methods.
The mental health impacts of these measures include increases in domestic violence calls, suicide and mental health hotline calls, opioid overdoses, and symptoms of depression or anxiety.
This bar graph compares the average percentage of adults reporting symptoms of anxiety and or depression from January to June 2019 versus January 2021.
The percentage was 11% in 2019 and rose to 41.1% in 2021
This graphic is based on KFF analysis of the Household Pulse Survey.
This bar graph compares the average percentage of adults reporting symptoms of anxiety, depression, or anxiety and/or depression during the pandemic.
35.8% of adults reported symptoms of anxiety, 28.4% reported symptoms of depression, and 41.1% reported symptoms of anxiety and/or depression.
This graphic is based on KFF analysis of the Household Pulse Survey.
Certain communities have been disproportionately impacted by the ongoing pandemic including people of color, women, people with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ individuals.
Mental health disparities existed pre-pandemic, and additional stressors from the pandemic have only made these disparities worse, with noted increases in anxiety or depression symptoms as well as increased levels of stress.
