NEW YORK, February 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Zocdocthe leading healthcare marketplace that makes it easy for people to find and book care in person or virtually in more than 200 specialties and +12k insurance plans, announced today “A Year in Mental Health Care”a comprehensive data analysis of mental health appointment booking trends from January 2021 for January 2022.
The data shows how people are approaching mental health care at a time when demand is exceptionally high: In 2020, as the pandemic has evolved, more than 42% of U.S. adults reported symptoms of anxiety or depression, an increase of 93% from 2019. As the pandemic progressed, Zocdoc saw demand grow, with 11% year-over-year growth in mental health specialty bookings among 2019 and 2020, and a 77% year-over-year growth between 2020 and 2021. In parallel, more public figures than ever before have spoken publicly about their mental health issues, helping to lessen the stigma that has prevented many from seeking care, while what online dating booking supply has grown rapidly.
To explore how Americans are seeking the right kind of care for their mental health needs and how that has evolved over the past year, Zocdoc analyzed its aggregate mental health appointment booking data from January 2021 for January 2022.
Virtual tours are here to stay
The increased availability of virtual appointments has made mental health care more convenient and accessible during a difficult time. Whether at home or away, virtual care is here to stay and it seems likely that it will continue to be the way most people receive mental health care; This is a stark contrast to other specialties, where the future of health care is mainly in person. Zocdoc booking trends revealed that:
- Among January 2021 and January 2022virtual reservations for mental health specialties grew by 74%
- On January 202288% of mental health specialty bookings were virtual
- This contrasts sharply with all other specialties, excluding mental healthsince only 10% of those reservations were virtual in January 2022
“Unlike all other specialties, where people have mostly returned to in-person care, telehealth is the dominant way Americans receive mental health care,” he said. Oliver Jarraz, MD, founder and CEO of Zocdoc. “At a time when the demand for mental health care continues to rise, it is crucial that people are able to access a quality provider that meets their preferences and needs, and is affordable and available. Zocdoc is proud to be the one place that has everything patients need to find and book the right mental health provider.”
Children are seeking more mental health care than ever
Pediatric depression and anxiety have duplicate during the pandemic. Among January 2021 and January 2022Zocdoc’s bookings increased dramatically in the following categories, reflecting a focus on caring for the youngest Americans.
- Children’s mental health appointment bookings grew 81%
- Pediatric psychiatric medication review appointment bookings increased by 100%
- Appointment bookings for pediatric depression and anxiety increased by 100%
- Teen mental health bookings grew 114%
“In the early stages of the pandemic, we saw children show an impressive amount of resilience. However, in the last year, we have seen constant change and uncertainty, isolation from friends and, in many cases, absorption of their parents’ heightened anxiety, they really take their toll, as reflected in these booking trends,” said ryan cukin, advisory director of Thriveworks. “At Thriveworks, we’ve been working to meet this demand by placing a strong emphasis on hiring more child and adolescent therapists in our clinics nationwide, expanding the reach of our TherapyLand play therapy locations, and making it easier for them to access through partners like Zocdoc.”
People are looking for new ways to manage stress and health
This is how the pandemic has evolved, references to “Covid-19” weight gain and meaningful increases in alcohol consumption have become common, and many people are experiencing increased stress, depression and anxiety. However, a growing number of people are seeking professional help to address addiction or manage conditions such as depression and anxiety. Among January 2021 and January 2022:
- Alcoholism-related bookings grew 43%
- Addiction-related dating bookings grew by 67%
- Eating disorder bookings grew 53%
- Anxiety-related appointment bookings grew by 86%
- Intake appointment bookings/first psychotherapy visit increased by 107%
- Depression-related dating bookings grew by 92%
“As the pandemic has continued to unfold, I have seen a tremendous increase in new patients seeking healthier ways to manage unprecedented stressors and new or evolving health issues, particularly related to eating disorders and addictions,” he said. dr Michael MahgereftehMD, a the Angels Basic psychiatrist. “I’m grateful for the increased convenience and access to care that telehealth offers, and I also see the value of combining virtual and in-person visits. For example, when treating a patient for alcohol abuse or withdrawal, monitoring is helpful.” in person – measure vital signs and perform a physical exam – to ensure optimal care.”
Families are facing difficult times together
Life has changed drastically since the start of the pandemic. The combination of new and more significant stressors, less access to many common stress-relieving activities, and fewer interactions with people outside the family have led to conflict between loved ones. A growing number of these people are seeking care. Among January 2021 and January 2022:
- Bookings for couples/relationship therapy appointments grew by 146%
- Family therapy appointment bookings grew by 187%
Cognitive behavioral therapy is the fastest growing type of therapy
Different people have long preferred different types of therapy. But in the last year, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), known for helping people change their thinking patterns, has grown in popularity more than any other type of therapy. Among January 2021 and January 2022:
- Analytic therapy appointment bookings grew by 36%
- Appointment bookings for behavioral therapy grew by 75%
- Appointment bookings for eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy increased by 118%
- Appointment bookings for cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) increased by 177%
“We live in an incredibly stressful time and many people are experiencing a significant increase in anxiety, not only from daily life during a pandemic, but from the uncertainty of what is to come,” he said. Steven Alimarasa licensed mental health counselor and psychotherapist based in Manhattan, New York. “Cognitive Behavioral Therapy helps people change their response to stressors. It does this by teaching them the skills to reprocess their thoughts more rationally while developing new coping mechanisms. During this unprecedented time, people are looking for the tools they need to manage fear, panic and despair in a healthy way, and CBT is an effective and popular therapeutic approach.”
For more information contact [email protected]. If you are a healthcare provider looking to reach new patients and offer ongoing access to care, in person or virtually, you can learn more at zocdoc.com/join.
About Zocdoc
Zocdoc is a leading digital healthcare marketplace for in-person or virtual care. Every month, millions of people use our free service, through Zocdoc.com or the Zocdoc app, to find in-network doctors, schedule in-person or virtual appointments instantly, read reviews from verified users, get reminders for upcoming appointments and preventive checkups. , and more. With a mission to empower the patient, Zocdoc’s platform delivers the accessible and simple experience they expect and deserve.
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