During the first month of the lockdown (March 19 through April 24, 2020), CPHR investigators distributed an online survey asking how people were dealing with the pandemic from a health, wellness and financial standpoint. Close to 5,600 people from around the country completed most or all of the survey questions.
The CPHR team added to the survey several questions that draw from a screening tool for generalized anxiety disorder, called GAD-2. A GAD-2 score of 3 or higher is considered to be positive and often warrants either a referral for consultation with a behavioral health provider or additional conversation and counseling with a primary care provider.
The team found that more than half of those younger than 40 met the criteria for generalized anxiety. Said Dr. Sharon Larson, CPHR executive director, "We suspect this is due to financial- and employment-related worries among those in this age group."
