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The Impact of COVID-19 on Access to Mental Healthcare Services

Author

Listed:
  • Benjamin Harrell

    (Vanderbilt LGBTQ Policy Lab, Vanderbilt University, Nashville)

  • Luca Fumarco

    (Masaryk University, IZA, and GLO, Lipová 41a, 602 00, Brno-střed, Czechia)

  • Patrick Button

    (Tulane University, NBER, J-PAL, and IZA, 6823 St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans)

  • David J. Schwegman

    (School of Public Affairs, American University, 4400 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington)

  • Kyla Denwood

    (Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 1779 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington)

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic increased the rate of mental health disorders, as well as demand for mental health services. It remains unclear, however, the extent to which the pandemic impacted access to mental health services. Using data from an audit field experiment, we examine the impact of COVID-19 on access to mental health care appointments in the United States. This experiment ran from January to May 2020 and overlapped with the initial onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. We find that increased intensity of COVID-19—measured by daily cases, daily fatalities, and weekly excess deaths—is associated with decreased access to mental health care appointments.

Suggested Citation

  • Benjamin Harrell & Luca Fumarco & Patrick Button & David J. Schwegman & Kyla Denwood, 2023. "The Impact of COVID-19 on Access to Mental Healthcare Services," MUNI ECON Working Papers 2023-05, Masaryk University.
    • Handle: RePEc:mub:wpaper:2023-05
    DOI: 10.5817/WP_MUNI_ECON_2023-05
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Andrea Fazio & Tomasso Reggiani & Fabio Sabatini, 2021. "The political cost of lockdown´s enforcement," MUNI ECON Working Papers 2021-04, Masaryk University, revised Feb 2023.
    2. Benjamin Harrell & Luca Fumarco & Patrick Button & David J. Schwegman & Kyla Denwood, 2023. "The Impact of COVID-19 on Access to Mental Health Care Services," AEA Papers and Proceedings, American Economic Association, vol. 113, pages 420-422, May.
    3. Pablo de Pedraza & Martin Guzi & Kea Tijdens, 2020. "Life satisfaction of employees, labour market tightness and matching efficiency," International Journal of Manpower, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 42(3), pages 341-355, July.
    4. de Pedraza, Pablo & Guzi, Martin & Tijdens, Kea, 2020. "Life Dissatisfaction and Anxiety in COVID-19 pandemic," GLO Discussion Paper Series 544, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    Cited by:

    1. Benjamin Harrell & Luca Fumarco & Patrick Button & David J. Schwegman & Kyla Denwood, 2023. "The Impact of COVID-19 on Access to Mental Health Care Services," AEA Papers and Proceedings, American Economic Association, vol. 113, pages 420-422, May.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    mental health care; audit; COVID-19;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C93 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Field Experiments
    • I14 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Inequality
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • I11 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Analysis of Health Care Markets
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination

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