QuickStats: Percentage of Adults Aged ≥18 Years Who Experienced Serious Psychological Distress During the Preceding 30 Days,* by Sex and Age Group --- National Health Interview Survey, 2009†

QuickStats: Percentage of Adults Aged ≥18 Years Who Experienced Serious Psychological Distress During the Preceding 30 Days,* by Sex and Age Group --- National Health Interview Survey, 2009†
Weekly
December 17, 2010 / 59(49);1621



The figure shows the percentage of adults aged ≥18 years who experienced serious psychological distress during the preceding 30 days, by sex and age group in 2009. In 2009, women were more likely than men to experience serious psychological distress during the preceding 30 days (3.6% versus 2.8%). Among women, those aged 45-64 years were more likely (4.6%) to experience serious psychological distress than those aged 65-74 years (2.4%) and ≥75 years (2.7%). Among men, those aged 65-74 years (1.0%) were less likely to experience serious psychological distress than those aged 18-44 years (3.1%) and 45-64 years (2.9%).

* Six psychological distress questions are included in the National Health Interview Survey. Respondents are asked separate questions about how often during the preceding 30 days they felt 1) so sad that nothing could cheer them up, 2) hopeless, 3) worthless, 4) that everything was an effort, 5) nervous, or 6) restless or fidgety. Respondents can choose from among five response categories: all of the time, most of the time, some of the time, a little of the time, or none of the time. For this analysis, response values of 0 to 4 were assigned to each of the five response categories (with all of the time assigned 4 and none of the time assigned 0). The response values were summed to yield a scale with a 0--24 range. A value of 13 or more on this scale was used to define experiencing serious psychological distress.

† Estimates are based on household interviews of a sample of the civilian, noninstitutionalized U.S. population and are derived from the National Health Interview Survey sample adult component.

§ 95% confidence interval.

In 2009, women were more likely than men to experience serious psychological distress during the preceding 30 days (3.6% versus 2.8%). Among women, those aged 45--64 years were more likely (4.6%) to experience serious psychological distress than those aged 65--74 years (2.4%) and ≥75 years (2.7%). Among men, those aged 65--74 years (1.0%) were less likely to experience serious psychological distress than those aged 18--44 years (3.1%) and 45--64 years (2.9%).

Source: National Health Interview Survey, 2009 data. Available at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis.htm.

Alternate Text: The figure above shows the percentage of adults aged ≥18 years who experienced serious psychological distress during the preceding 30 days, by sex and age group in 2009. In 2009, women were more likely than men to experience serious psychological distress during the preceding 30 days (3.6% versus 2.8%). Among women, those aged 45-64 years were more likely (4.6%) to experience serious psychological distress than those aged 65-74 years (2.4%) and ≥75 years (2.7%). Among men, those aged 65-74 years (1.0%) were less likely to experience serious psychological distress than those aged 18-44 years (3.1%) and 45-64 years (2.9%).
QuickStats: Percentage of Adults Aged ≥18 Years Who Experienced Serious Psychological Distress During the Preceding 30 Days,* by Sex and Age Group --- National Health Interview Survey, 2009†