health and wellness

CVS Health survey shows mental health concerns continue to rise

Mental health concerns higher than during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the effects of social media a driving factor

Published

2 years ago

May 18, 2024

Daily News Staff

WOONSOCKET, R.I. /PRNewswire/ — A recent CVS Health® (NYSE: CVS)/Morning Consult survey found that a majority of adults have significant concerns about their mental health and rates across the country continue to rise.

Concerns higher than during COVID-19 pandemic, with the effects of social media a driving factor — Image provided by CVS Health

Two-thirds (65%) of adults have experienced concerns about their own mental health or the mental health of their friends and family, which is up six percentage points from 2022 and 15 percentage points from 2020.
About eight in 10 adults (77%) are concerned about mental health in the country, viewing it as a top concern in line with issues such as the economy (81%).
Seventy percent of parents are concerned about their children’s mental health, which is higher than their concerns about their children’s physical health (66%).
Respondents are likely to turn to both mental well-being apps (48%) and therapists (55%) for care.

“Mental health became a top concern in 2020 and it has only risen since,” said Taft Parsons III, M.D., Vice President and Chief Psychiatric Officer, CVS Health. “Uncertainty around the future, current events and social media continue to drive anxiety among adults. Our priority, across CVS Health, remains improving access to quality virtual and in-person mental health care and ensuring we have resources in place to address the unique needs of individuals.”

Americans are concerned about social media’s implications on their mental health

The survey also found that nearly four in 10 adults (37%) believe social media has hurt society at-large.

As a result, a third of adults have started to turn off notifications for social media apps and are attempting to spend less time on social media.
About half of parents feel that social media is impacting their children’s perceptions of the world and their children’s development.
On the other hand, more than one in three adults (36%) report that social media has taught them about mental health issues.

“Our increasing use of technology has helped increase access to mental health care – CVS Health has had over 43 million mental health virtual visits since 2020 – and created a way for people to talk openly about the topic, reducing stigma,” added Parsons III. “But as we navigate the impacts social media has on mental health, it has become increasingly important that we highlight its limitations and set guardrails for ourselves and our children.”

CVS Health’s commitment to mental health care

As the leading health solutions company with resources that expand nationally and in communities across the country, CVS Health continues to increase accessibility to both in-person and virtual mental health services:

In select states, consumers have access to in-person and virtual mental health services at MinuteClinic®. Approximately 78% of patients report a reduction in their depression symptoms¹.
MinuteClinic offers depression screenings virtually and in all MinuteClinic locations.
CVS Health launched Be Seen Be Heard to increase depression screenings among underserved communities.
In April, as part of its Centering Youth Mental Health program, the CVS Health Foundation awarded grants to the Greater Flint Health Coalition, Kentucky Youth Advocates and Reinvent South Stockton Coalition to support their work to provide accessible adolescent and young adult mental health services.
Project Health includes depression screenings at all their events.
Resources for Living (RFL) takes a comprehensive, preventive approach to members’ mental health, improving patient access and driving cost savings, including total medical costs, prescription costs, hospital services and in-network care utilization.
As part of its focus on reducing suicide attempts among Aetna members, CVS Health has seen a 16% reduction in suicide attempts among Aetna adult Commercial members when compared with a 2019 baseline.
CVS Healthspire™:
- Signify Health® screens individuals for depression in every In-Home Health Evaluation visit.
- At Oak Street Health®, patients are able to schedule both behavioral and physical health appointments.
CVS Health offers a number of mental health resources and guides on CVSHealth.com, including a resource center focused on the unique mental health needs of different populations – from the LGBTQ+ community to young adults to parents and caregivers.
As part of the Beauty Mark initiative, CVS Health promotes healthier self-image and positive mental well-being by not materially altering the beauty imagery created for stores, marketing materials, websites, apps or social media.

For more information on how CVS Health is making mental well-being services more accessible, less complicated and more convenient, visit CVSHealth.com.

Methodology

This poll was conducted by Morning Consult between March 19-21, 2024, among a national sample of 2,202 adults. The margin of error for the full sample is plus or minus two percentage points. The interviews were conducted online and the data were weighted to approximate a target sample of adults based on age, gender, educational attainment, race, and region.

Measured via PHQ-9 scores for patients who have completed more than one visit and reported having at least mild depression symptoms in their initial visit. Percentages do not add up to 100% due to rounding.

About CVS Health
CVS Health® is the leading health solutions company, delivering care like no one else can. We reach more people and improve the health of communities across America through our local presence, digital channels and over 300,000 dedicated colleagues – including more than 40,000 physicians, pharmacists, nurses and nurse practitioners. Wherever and whenever people need us, we help them with their health – whether that’s managing chronic diseases, staying compliant with their medications or accessing affordable health and wellness services in the most convenient ways. We help people navigate the health care system – and their personal health care – by improving access, lowering costs and being a trusted partner for every meaningful moment of health. And we do it all with heart, each and every day. Follow @CVSHealth on social media.

Daily News Staff

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Research Reveals Persistent Racial Disparities in Stroke Treatment and Outcomes

Published

2 hours ago

August 3, 2026

Daily News Staff

woman comforting another woman. Stroke treatment. — Photo by RDNE Stock project on Pexels.com

Three new studies shared this week at the Society of NeuroInterventional Surgery (SNIS) 23rd Annual Meeting deliver a clear message: stroke care in the U.S. is improving, but those gains are not reaching everyone equally. Researchers found persistent disparities tied to race, geography, and socioeconomic status—factors that can shape whether a patient receives advanced treatment, how quickly they reach specialized care, and ultimately, whether they survive.

Stroke remains one of the nation’s leading causes of death and long-term disability. In recent years, breakthroughs in emergency response systems and minimally invasive procedures have expanded what’s possible in the critical first hours after a stroke. But the latest findings suggest that access to those life-saving advances still depends too heavily on who you are and where you live.

Study 1: Treatment gaps widen as strokes get more severe

The first study, “Racial Disparities in Endovascular Thrombectomy Widen with Stroke Severity: A National Inpatient Sample Analysis,” examined more than 325,000 acute ischemic stroke patients treated at U.S. teaching hospitals between 2018 and 2022.

The focus was endovascular thrombectomy (EVT), a minimally invasive procedure in which specialists remove a clot from a blocked artery in the brain. EVT can be a game-changer for eligible patients—but researchers found Black patients were less likely than white patients to receive it across all levels of stroke severity.

What stood out most: the disparity grew as stroke severity increased. At a National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score of 20, the predicted probability of receiving EVT was:

33% for white men
32% for white women
28% for Black men
26% for Black women

Co-first author Muhammed Amir Essibayi, MD, MSc, FRCP, noted that timely access becomes even more critical as severity rises—yet the treatment gap becomes more pronounced. The study also highlighted an intersectional pattern, with Black women consistently least likely to receive EVT.

Study 2: Hemorrhagic stroke deaths are falling—but disparities persist

The second study, “Reducing Inequalities in Stroke Events-Hemorrhagic Disparities (RISE-HD): A 10-year Statewide Analysis of Social Determinants of Mortality in Hemorrhagic Stroke,” analyzed more than 120,000 patients hospitalized with hemorrhagic stroke in Florida between 2013 and 2024.

There was good news: mortality rates declined significantly over the decade, suggesting real progress in stroke systems and hospital care.

But after adjusting for age, sex, and comorbidities, disparities remained. Black patients had higher odds of in-hospital mortality than white patients. Higher mortality was also associated with:

Living in rural areas
Having Medicaid or other non-commercial insurance

Researchers also found regional differences across Florida, pointing to uneven access to specialized stroke care.

Primary author Natália Vasconcellos, MD, MSc, emphasized that improving outcomes for everyone will require addressing barriers to specialized stroke systems—especially in underserved communities.

Study 3: The “Stroke Belt” has two different access problems

The third study, “Dual Pathways to Hemorrhagic Stroke Mortality Across the U.S. Stroke Belt: Rural Neurointerventional Isolation and Urban Structural Vulnerability,” looked at hemorrhagic stroke mortality across 433 counties in the “Stroke Belt,” a region long associated with higher stroke rates and worse outcomes.

Researchers compared factors linked to mortality in rural versus urban counties, including:

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Distance to the nearest Comprehensive Stroke Center
Community-level socioeconomic disadvantage
Racial and economic segregation
HIV burden

They found the drivers of mortality differed sharply by setting:

In rural counties, longer travel times to Comprehensive Stroke Centers were more strongly associated with higher mortality.
In urban counties, racialized economic segregation and HIV burden were more strongly associated with poorer outcomes—even when specialized care was geographically closer.

Dylan Yates, a medical student at Tulane University School of Medicine, summarized the takeaway: the neurointerventional access gap in the Stroke Belt is “not one problem, it is two.” Solutions need to match the reality on the ground—strengthening transfer networks and specialty connections in rural areas, while addressing structural disadvantage and underinvestment in urban communities.

What to watch for: where the system can improve

Across all three studies, the common thread is that medical innovation alone doesn’t guarantee equitable outcomes. Researchers pointed toward targeted interventions that could help close the gap, including:

More consistent, equitable treatment pathways for advanced stroke procedures like EVT
Stronger stroke transfer networks to reduce delays—especially in rural regions
Expanded access to specialty stroke care and Comprehensive Stroke Centers
Community-level investment and structural reforms in underserved urban neighborhoods

For patients and families, these findings also reinforce the importance of recognizing stroke symptoms quickly and calling 911 immediately. Time is brain—yet the system must ensure that “time” and “access” don’t vary based on race, ZIP code, or insurance status.Source: Society of NeuroInterventional Surgery (SNIS), July

If You’re Feeling Stressed by Pricey Meds, Pharmacists Can Help

Stressed by Pricey Meds? If your wallet is feeling the squeeze of prescription drug costs as other living expenses like grocery and energy prices rise, you’re not alone. That’s where a powerful ally can help you manage drug costs: a health-system pharmacist.

Published

3 days ago

July 31, 2026

Daily News Staff

If You’re Feeling Stressed by Pricey Meds, Pharmacists Can Help

(Feature Impact) If your wallet is feeling the squeeze of prescription drug costs as other living expenses like grocery and energy prices rise, you’re not alone.

More people are worrying about affording essential medications these days. In fact, more than 40% of adults said they skipped doses or didn’t fill prescriptions in the past year due to cost, according to a KFF Health survey.

People who take multiple drugs to manage chronic conditions often feel this pinch even more severely. They’re also more likely to make more frequent visits to their clinic or health system for care. That’s where a powerful ally can help them manage their drug costs: a health-system pharmacist.

These medication experts work side-by-side with the clinicians who prescribe drugs in health care practices – and sometimes prescribe medications themselves. Their deep knowledge can help people get the most out of the drugs they take.

“Pharmacists really know the full picture of medications, including pricing, insurance coverage, alternative therapies and potential side effects,” said Lindsey Amerine, PharmD, chief pharmacy officer for the Cleveland Clinic. “That’s why it’s helpful to not only count on your doctor to diagnose your condition and prescribe therapies, but also your pharmacist to optimize your medications.”

Get a Comprehensive Review of Your Medications

Asking the pharmacist on your health-system care team to go over your medications may reveal opportunities to save, Amerine said. Health-system pharmacists are uniquely qualified to provide this service because they keep close track of medication costs as well as approvals of new drugs and how those compare to older options.

A full review might reveal:

Drugs once needed may not be as useful anymore. People often continue taking medications unaware that something new could offer greater benefits or their condition no longer requires the same therapy.
Changes in your condition may mean you could safely take a lower dosage of a drug, thereby reducing costs.
There may be less costly alternatives that would work as well such as a generic or older medication.

Get Help Exploring Discount Options

You’ve probably heard about programs that can help lower prescription costs, including discount and patient assistance programs. Pharmacists can help you understand how to navigate these programs and access potential discount programs and opportunities, Amerine said. Here’s how:

Pharmacists can guide you through discount programs your health system offers.
They can check your eligibility for drug maker discounts and help you understand how those discounts work with your insurance, especially if you have a high-deductible plan.
Pharmacists can help you navigate the various prescription cost-savings programs and how they work.
They can also help you learn about patient assistance programs that provide free or discounted medications to people who cannot afford them.

Medications are a vital part of your health care. Before you try to stretch a costly medicine or give it up altogether, talk to the medication expert on your health care team: your health-system pharmacist. For more information, visit yourpharmacist.org.

Why It Pays to Talk Meds with a Pharmacist

“My doctor prescribed it, so I must need it.” Often this is true, but not always. People sometimes take drugs longer than they need to, at doses higher than necessary or that may interact with other medications.

Just as you’d see a heart specialist about an odd pulse rate, it can help to see a pharmacist – your medication specialist – to discuss your prescriptions.

Of all health care professionals, pharmacists have the deepest knowledge of drug interactions and safety issues. They’re experts on how the effectiveness of different medications – brand name and generic – compare. They also closely track changes in prices and know when a drug’s cost has dropped or if an effective, less costly alternative is available.

Health-system pharmacists’ expertise is especially helpful for those with multiple chronic conditions who typically take several medications with more benefits, costs and side effects to balance.

Talking with a pharmacist can ensure your prescriptions are best for you and that you have access to the most affordable options. collect?v=1&tid=UA 482330 7&cid=1955551e 1975 5e52 0cdb 8516071094cd&sc=start&t=pageview&dl=http%3A%2F%2Ftrack.familyfeatures track

SOURCE:

American Society of Health-System Pharmacists

Daily News Staff