Women's Health

One in five young adults in the U.S. experience daily anxiety

Heather Carroll — Tue, 20 Oct 2026 20:31:01 +0000

One in five young adults in the U.S. experience daily anxiety Heather Carroll Tue, 10/20/2026 - 16:31

Key Takeaways

Anxiety diagnoses among young adults increased from 17.9% in 2020 to 23.4% in 2024, according to a new 911�� study, with higher rates among women and lesbians, gays, and bisexuals.
The study examined how overlapping identities, including race, sex and sexual orientation, relate to anxiety disparities.

In This Story

Nearly one in five young adults in the United States reported feeling anxious every day in 2024, up from 15% in 2020. Over the same period, the odds of receiving an anxiety diagnosis as well as use of prescription anxiety medication each rose by roughly a third.

Melissa Villodas Assistant Professor, Social Work. Photo provided

The overall increase in anxiety varied by race and ethnicity, sex, and sexual orientation, according to a new study by 911�� researcher Melissa Villodas. The research found higher rates of anxiety among women and lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) young adults than among their peers. Racial and ethnic differences were less clear-cut, varying by whether researchers looked at anxiety symptoms, diagnoses, or medication use and by sex and sexual orientation.

Published in the American Journal of Public Health, the study explored anxiety among nearly 11,000 U.S. adults ages 18 to 25. While most research considers demographic characteristics separately, Villodas and her colleagues studied them in combination to reveal differences that might be overlooked.

“Rather than assuming that all young adults experience anxiety in the same way, these findings underscore the importance of considering the multiple social identities and contexts that shape experiences with anxiety,” said Villodas, an assistant professor in the Department of Social Work at the College of Public Health.

Why it matters

Young adulthood is a vulnerable phase for the onset of mental health problems, and anxiety was already rising in this age group before the COVID-19 pandemic. The study can’t establish what caused the increases after 2020, but the researchers say its findings warrant attention to possible lasting impacts from the pandemic.

The research also offers a more specific picture of which young adults need support and raises questions about whether groups with fewer diagnoses are facing obstacles to get help.

Key findings

The researchers analyzed National Health Interview Survey responses between 2020 and 2024. Key findings included:

Daily anxiety, diagnoses, and medication increased. Daily anxiety rose from 15% to 19.5%, reported anxiety diagnoses increased from 17.9% to 23.4%, and prescription anxiety medication use rose from 9.8% to 13.3%. Despite the increase in daily anxiety, the intensity of anxiety respondents reported didn’t change significantly overall.
Nearly half of LGB young adults reported an anxiety diagnosis. In 2024, 44.6% reported having received a diagnosis, compared with 18.5% of straight young adults. Prescription anxiety medication use among LGB respondents doubled from 12.9% in 2020 to 26% in 2024. Among straight respondents, it increased from 9.3% to 10.4%.
Women consistently reported higher rates than men. In 2024, 32.1% of women reported having received an anxiety diagnosis, compared with 14.7% of men. About one in four women reported daily anxiety, and one in five took prescription anxiety medication.
Differences also emerged within racial and ethnic groups. Hispanic LGB young adults had about 4.7 times the odds of taking anxiety medication as their straight Hispanic peers. Black women had higher odds of an anxiety diagnosis and medication use than Black men.
Fewer diagnoses didn’t necessarily mean milder anxiety. In 2024, 31.3% of non-Hispanic White respondents reported an anxiety diagnosis, compared with 12.7% of non-Hispanic Black respondents, and 15.3% of Hispanic respondents. But across the study period, Black and White young adults did not differ significantly in reported anxiety intensity. The researchers noted that access to care, stigma, and differences in how symptoms are recognized might help explain the disparities.

Villodas’ coauthors were Alexandria B. Forte of the University of Connecticut, Hayden C. Dawes of Bryn Mawr College, Michelle R. Munson of New York University, and Mansoo Yu of the University of Missouri.

Thumbnail photo provided by BillionPhotos.com

Topics

Women's Health

Anxiety

LGBTQ+

Medication Assisted Treatment

Research

College of Public Health

Childhood adversity may put women at higher risk for postpartum depression years later

Heather Carroll — Wed, 26 Aug 2026 16:39:13 +0000

Childhood adversity may put women at higher risk for postpartum depression years later Heather Carroll Wed, 08/26/2026 - 12:39

Key Takeaways

In a 911��-led study, women exposed to multiple types of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) reported the highest levels of postpartum depressive symptoms.
Despite their higher risk, women with greater childhood adversity were no more likely to receive postpartum depression screening than their peers.
The findings suggest that considering a woman’s history of ACEs could help cliniciansidentifywomen who could benefit from more frequent depression screening and earlier support.

The effects of childhood trauma may persist for decades, resurfacing during one of life's most demanding transitions: becoming a mother.

A 911��-led study found that women who had experienced multiple forms of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) reported the highest levels of postpartum depressive symptoms. But despite those elevated risks, these women were no more likely to receive postpartum depression screening than their peers.

"The effects of ACEs may not fade simply because time has passed," said Sunny Shin, professor of social work at the 911�� College of Public Health and the study's lead author. "They may persist and resurface when women face the profound physical and emotional demands of motherhood."

The findings, published in The Journal of Childhood & Adolescent Trauma, suggest that asking women about childhood adversity in a sensitive and supportive way may help clinicians identify mothers who could benefit from more frequent depression screening and earlier support.

Why it matters

Postpartum depression affects millions of women worldwide and can have serious consequences, including disrupted maternal-child bonding and long-term cognitive, emotional, and behavioral problems in children. Untreated perinatal mood and anxiety disorders also carry an estimated $14 billion economic burden during the first five years after childbirth.

"This study identified a potential gap between risk and care," Shin said. "Women at higher risk for depressive symptoms may not be receiving more targeted screening."

Further study details

The study analyzed data from 427 diverse, predominantly low-income young women participating in the Longitudinal Infant and Family Environment (LIFE) study.

Rather than simply counting the total number of ACEs each participant reported, the researchers examined how different types of adversity tended to group together. They identified three distinct patterns of childhood adversity and found that women with high exposure to multiple types of ACEs reported the highest levels of postpartum depressive symptoms.

According to Shin, this person-centered approach provides a more nuanced understanding of risk than relying solely on a cumulative ACE score because it captures the ways childhood adversities can cluster together.

The research builds on Shin's longstanding work examining how adverse experiences in childhood impact health across the life course, with the goal of translating that knowledge into trauma-informed prevention and intervention strategies. For this study, he collaborated with researchers from Virginia Commonwealth University, the University of Louisville, Gachon University in South Korea, and Masaryk University in the Czech Republic.

Thumbnail photo by leszekglasner on Adobe Stock

Topics

College of Public Health

Communication alumna went from intern to CEO of national running organization

sbrown79 — Wed, 23 Oct 2024 17:02:22 +0000

Communication alumna went from intern to CEO of national running organization sbrown79 Wed, 10/23/2024 - 13:02

911�� alumna Jay Ell Alexander, BA Communication ’08, joined Black Girls RUN!, a national running organization, as a PR intern in 2012. In 2018, she bought the company and has been the owner for the last six years.

“I was looking for hands-on work after graduate school and really immersed myself in learning every end of the business,” said Alexander. “From merchandise and working with our local groups and sponsorships to understanding how to work with corporate partners and building relationships.”

Jay Ell Alexander at one of the Black Girls RUN! marathons. Photo provided.

She added, “The consistency and passion that you need to run a business does not happen overnight, and my time as an intern and contractor with Black Girls RUN! was planting those seeds for me to have what I need now.”

Black Girls RUN! aims to bring Black women to the pavement in terms of endurance, as well as raise awareness of the health disparities that they face.

“Black women are at the top of the charts for most chronic diseases and there’s a stigma that we just don’t care about our health, but we do. We’re trying to change that narrative and show that Black women can be healthy,” said Alexander, who is also a member of 911��’s Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority.

“Working for entrepreneurs, you become a jack of all trades very quickly. 911�� and a dynamic group of communication professors really prepared me for that,” she said.

Her time at 911�� gave her a strong foundation for the tech savviness she would need to helm Black Girls RUN!

“I learned everything from writing code and how to build a website to going out and being a one woman show with a camera and mic,” explained Alexander, who received a Top 40 Under 40 Award from 911��’s Black Alumni Chapter. “I didn’t have to pay for a new company website. I just do it myself because I have the skills from those classes at 911��.”

Black Girls RUN! has roughly 248,000 members, 75 groups across the country in most of the major cities, and year-round national conferences. Members participate in national meetups and training for a 5K or a half marathon.

“These are races that we partner with across the country where you come out and meet Black Girls RUN members and we just create a community within the race that people want to come out and be a part of,” said Alexander.

Since 2021, Black Girls RUN! has been in a partnership with Saucony, the running shoes, clothing, gear, and accessory company, and produced a custom shoe, the Endorphin Speed 4 BGR, which has sold thousands of shoes. The shoes also come with a custom shoebox and key chain.

In 2020, Saucony reached out to the organization to make a donation to their Black Lives Matter movement.

“[Saucony] was really trying to make an effort to build up their initiative with supporting minorities. Those conversations we were having continued to happen and our relationships continued to blossom,” said Alexander.

Jay Ell Alexander at a shoe signing event. Photo provided.

“The shoe really has been the cherry on top of all the work that we've done over the last three years. This was [Saucony’s] first time doing a pink shoe.”

Black Girls RUN! and Saucony have a multi-year deal and another collaboratively designed shoe will be released in 2025.

“Jay Ell is a super leader. That was always a natural trait that she carried. She really brings people together; she's a facilitator, organizer, and very much so just had a strong suit in terms of operations,” said alumna LaShonda Wilson, BA Communications ’08, who was Alexander’s college roommate and is also godmother to Alexander’s children.

“All of us working together were able to create an organization that was foundationally sound and we all took turns in the various leadership roles,” said Wilson, who along with Alexander and their peers started Urbanknowlodgy 101, a hip-hop dance group at 911�� in 2005, which now has a spin-off nonprofit called Dance Foundation Inc. for alumni.

“My friends and I were those kids that used to stand in line all day to buy Jordans and now my shoe is sold out. Life has just come full circle for me and it’s kind of surreal,” said Alexander.

Topics

Communication Department

Black Alumni Chapter

Women's Health

College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Award-winning game helps young girls and women navigate and negotiate life choices

sbrown79 — Wed, 27 Sep 2023 20:48:16 +0000

Award-winning game helps young girls and women navigate and negotiate life choices sbrown79 Wed, 09/27/2023 - 16:48

When Susan Howard’s mother wanted to leave India for the United States in the 1950s, she had some negotiating to do.

“My grandparents were against it,” Howard said of her mom’s request, “but agreed on the condition that my mom be married. So, she compromised and said, ‘how about I get engaged?’”

That real-life scenario inspired the 911�� professor to create Go Nisha Go, an award-winning game that helps girls and young women in India navigate and negotiate life choices.

A poster for Susan Howard's game, Go Nisha Go. Photo provided.

“We're not trying to tell girls what is right or wrong. For some girls, listening to their parents is right for them,” said Howard, who teaches in the School of Integrative Studies. “Our aim with Nisha is to show players that their decisions matter and not to relinquish decisions to the father or their husbands or society even.”

The game, which was launched in June 2022, addresses public health concerns such as nonconsensual sex, reproductive health, relationships, contraception, and the detrimental stigmas that are attached to them, said Howard.

Go Nisha Go, which has more than 250,000 players in India, is a virtual experience that provides players with essential resources in the real world they can access directly from the game. It has 25 in-game partners from social entrepreneurs to private-sector companies and small businesses.

Susan Howard. Photo provided

These partners provide menstrual hygiene products, as well as legal and crisis helplines for women who are being bullied or abused.

“The technology of embedding these links was challenging, but it was really worth it because we felt that it was our responsibility to bridge the in-game experience with real life.”

Howard, who received a PhD in environmental science and policy from Mason in 2020, cited an example of an important app embedded in the game.

“There's a scene where Nisha is talking to her mentor about when she's most at risk for pregnancy and how does she know. The mentor shows her an app that’s called Cycle Beads where you can track your period. In real life, players can download this app to their phones.”

The game was originally only available in three states in India—Rajasthan, Bihar, and Delhi—because that’s where young girls are most at risk for early marriage and pregnancy, Howard said, but it is now available in all 11 Hindi speaking states in India through Google Play.

Go Nisha Go is an interdisciplinary effort, Howard said. College of Science PhD student Chih Hao “Andy” Huang handles the in-game analysis and data security management, Schar School PhD student Patrick Baxter helped design the game’s large-scale randomized control study that is being done among 1,900 girls, and Mason alumna Jeannette Cachan is the knowledge management and monitoring advisor on the project. Mason Board of Visitor member Dolly Oberoi, CEO of C2 Technologies Inc., has been a mentor and guide to Howard since the inception of the idea.

As a game data engineer, Huang ensures the game's structure and the data used are safe and updated.

“One of the features that we used in the game was creating different models and using predictive analytics. During the game, the players will make different decisions and select different answers for questions or situations,” said Huang.

“We use that data, run through different algorithms, and then we get results for personalized messages so players can have a more personalized experience instead of a ‘one game fits all’ kind of experience."

Go Nisha Go was awarded Best Learning Game in 2023 by Games for Change and made the list of 10 Fast Company Innovation by Design honorees in social justice interventions.

“All design begins with people and understanding people,” said Howard. “At the end of the game, you get to see the outcome of all the choices you have made for your character, and how in real life you can be inspired to be your ‘best self.’”

Howard credits the liberal arts and the humanities for her approach of putting people at the center of technological innovations. She is currently working on two additional games: one in Nepal and a game for boys in India.

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Kakenya Ntaiya speaks her truth at Mason’s annual Sojourner Truth Lecture

sbrown79 — Wed, 22 Mar 2023 18:51:25 +0000

Kakenya Ntaiya speaks her truth at Mason’s annual Sojourner Truth Lecture sbrown79 Wed, 03/22/2023 - 14:51

In This Story

Dr. Kakenya Ntaiya, guest speaker at 911��'s Sojourner Truth Lecture. Photo by Shayla Brown/Strategic Communications.

Kakenya Ntaiya’s life was set to follow the traditional Kenyan path of ending school early in preparation for marriage and motherhood at the age of 15, but she had a different dream.

Ntaiya, who was 911��’s 2023 Sojourner Truth Lecture guest speaker on March 2, is the founder of Kakenya’s Dream, a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to educating and advocating for young girls across rural Kenya.

“I’m really grateful to be here as we are ending the celebration of Black History Month, and also welcoming Women’s History Month since they’re two of the entities that I have within me,” she said. “In communities like ours, you find that the place of a woman is pretty low.”

About 50 people were in attendance during the lecture. When Ntaiya was asked why it was so important for a Black feminist to also be committed to health, she responded, “Health is everything, especially mental health, but general health is everything.”

“I grew up in a community where about 40 percent of young girls between the age of 15 and 19 give birth, 50 percent are married off during childhood, 80 percent undergo female genital mutilation (FGM), often without anesthesia,” said Ntaiya, who also was subjected to the procedure in Kenya where it is considered a rite of passage to womanhood.

“I was lucky to survive because most girls die from bleeding,” she said. “There are consequences for the bodies of these young girls.”

Despite having been subjected to FGM, Ntaiya made a deal with her father to let her forgo marriage and finish her education, promising her rural Kenyan community that she would go to school in the United States and use her education to help the village in exchange for their support.

“The commitment that Kakenya has to supporting women and girls internationally is unparalleled,” said LaNitra Berger, director of Mason’s African and African American Studies Program. “I have so much respect for the organization that she runs, and the ways in which she is completely dedicated to the cause of women and girls’ education.”

Ntaiya said she was driven to make a difference to help end child marriage in Kenya, in the absence of intervention from NGOs or other aid organizations.

“The government of course had laws in Kenya [that said we're] not supposed to be married before 18, but those are just laws in the box that are not implemented,” said Ntaiya.

In addition to educating girls and women on various topics, Kakenya’s Dream also gives boys and men the tools to help them be allies for women battling cultural norms.

“They now speak out against the practices [of the past] and we have a better future with the younger generations now sensitized about the harm of FGM,” said Ntaiya. “Young men learning about this are going to marry a woman that is not cut, and that is where we start seeing the generational change that will break the norms that have been there thus far.”

Topics

Sojourner Truth Lecture

African and African American Studies

Guest Speaker

Access to Health Services

adolescent health

Women's Health

Women's History Month

Campus News

The Shorthorn (UT Arlington): CHHS study on period poverty mentioned.

eander6 — Thu, 18 Nov 2021 15:38:47 +0000

The Shorthorn (UT Arlington): CHHS study on period poverty mentioned. eander6 Thu, 11/18/2021 - 10:38

Three years later, students continue to urge UTA to completely fulfill Resolution 18-04.

Topics

Women's Health

Texas Public Radio (audio): Dr. Jhumka Gupta discusses period poverty.

eander6 — Wed, 20 Oct 2021 14:36:47 +0000

Texas Public Radio (audio): Dr. Jhumka Gupta discusses period poverty. eander6 Wed, 10/20/2021 - 10:36

In This Story

Jhumka Gupta, ScD

2 in 5 Americans have struggled with period poverty. Why are menstrual products still treated as a luxury, instead of a necessity? Gupta starts at the 15-minute mark.

Topics

College of Health and Human Services Department of Global and Community Health

The Lily: Dr. Jhumka Gupta comments on period poverty.

eander6 — Mon, 19 Jul 2021 17:48:34 +0000

The Lily: Dr. Jhumka Gupta comments on period poverty. eander6 Mon, 07/19/2021 - 13:48

In This Story

Jhumka Gupta, ScD

Periods are ‘not gross’: How one student is working to eliminate the stigma around menstruation and poverty.

Topics

Women's Health

Public Health

College of Health and Human Services Department of Global and Community Health

CalMatters: Dr. Jhumka Gupta comments on latest ‘menstrual equality’ bill.

eander6 — Mon, 19 Jul 2021 15:53:13 +0000

CalMatters: Dr. Jhumka Gupta comments on latest ‘menstrual equality’ bill. eander6 Mon, 07/19/2021 - 11:53

In This Story

Jhumka Gupta, ScD

Latest ‘menstrual equity’ bill would require California’s public colleges to provide period products.

Topics

Women's Health

Public Health

College of Health and Human Services Department of Global and Community Health

Ms. Magazine: Representative Grace Meng references Dr. Jhumka Gupta’s study on college students and affordability of menstrual products.

eander6 — Wed, 09 Jun 2021 14:57:52 +0000

Ms. Magazine: Representative Grace Meng references Dr. Jhumka Gupta’s study on college students and affordability of menstrual products. eander6 Wed, 06/09/2021 - 10:57

In This Story

Jhumka Gupta, ScD

It’s Time for a Whole-of-Government Approach to Address Period Poverty in the U.S.

Topics

Women's Health

College of Health and Human Services Department of Global and Community Health

Center for Health Equity

Women's Health

One in five young adults in the U.S. experience daily anxiety

Key Takeaways

In This Story

Why it matters

Topics

Childhood adversity may put women at higher risk for postpartum depression years later

Key Takeaways

Why it matters

Further study details

Topics

Communication alumna went from intern to CEO of national running organization

Topics

Award-winning game helps young girls and women navigate and negotiate life choices

Related News

Kakenya Ntaiya speaks her truth at Mason’s annual Sojourner Truth Lecture

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The Shorthorn (UT Arlington): CHHS study on period poverty mentioned.

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Texas Public Radio (audio): Dr. Jhumka Gupta discusses period poverty.

In This Story

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The Lily: Dr. Jhumka Gupta comments on period poverty.

In This Story

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CalMatters: Dr. Jhumka Gupta comments on latest ‘menstrual equality’ bill.

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Ms. Magazine: Representative Grace Meng references Dr. Jhumka Gupta’s study on college students and affordability of menstrual products.

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