Survey Suggests Increased Attention on Mental Health Warranted in the Run-Up to the Election

Rhea-AI Summary

A recent survey by Myriad Genetics reveals that 40% of Americans report feeling 'depressed and/or anxious' during the election season. The GeneSight® Mental Health Monitor: Special Election Series indicates that politics and elections significantly impact mental wellbeing. Nearly 38% of Americans feel increased anxiety due to election-related news and social media, and 35% feel overwhelmed by it. Despite this, only 37% of those diagnosed with depression or anxiety are currently receiving professional mental health treatment. The GeneSight test aids clinicians in understanding how patients metabolize and respond to medications for mental health conditions. Myriad Genetics plans to conduct two more surveys in September and October to further examine the election's impact on mental health.

Positive

• 40% of Americans report increased depression and anxiety during election season, highlighting demand for mental health solutions.
• GeneSight test assists clinicians in tailoring medication for mental health patients, potentially improving treatment outcomes.

Negative

• Only 37% of Americans diagnosed with depression or anxiety are currently receiving professional mental health treatment, indicating a significant gap in care.

New Findings from Myriad Genetics Reveal One-Third of Americans Say Election Season Affects Their Mental Health

SALT LAKE CITY, June 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A significant 40% of Americans report feeling ‘depressed and/or anxious’ around the election season according to the latest GeneSight^® Mental Health Monitor: Special Election Series, a nationwide survey from Myriad Genetics, Inc. (NASDAQ:MYGN), a leader in genetic testing and precision medicine.

“The results of the Special Election Survey show that politics and elections tend to trouble our nation’s mental wellbeing,” said Thomas J. Valente, a psychiatrist from Leesburg, Florida. “My patients, especially those with significant mental illness, all worry as to how the election will affect them. We want people to know that they do not have to live with depression and anxiety, and that they should be proactively seeking solutions.”

In addition, the Monitor revealed that nearly four in ten Americans (38%) say that news and social media around the upcoming election is making them more anxious than usual as well as that approximately the same number (35%) already feel “checked out” by the overwhelming amount of news and social media attention.

The survey also found that just one in three (37%) Americans who have been diagnosed with depression and/or anxiety are currently seeing a healthcare professional for mental health treatment.

For individuals struggling with their mental health, the GeneSight test could be a useful tool as it provides clinicians with information about how they may break down or respond to certain medications commonly prescribed to treat depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions

“It is discouraging, but not surprising to note the percentage of patients diagnosed with anxiety and/or depression who go untreated or undertreated. Research shows that a combination of medication and talk therapy are the most effective treatment methods for depression and other mental health conditions,” said Valente. “We hope that Americans will consider taking steps to improve their mental health as we get closer to this important election. The GeneSight test is one of the tools I’ve used to help my patients get back on the road to mental wellness.”

The results are the first of three in a series tracking how the election season may affect Americans’ mental health, particularly amidst the ongoing mental health crisis in the United States. The second survey of the Special Election Series will follow in September and a third round will take place in October.

About the GeneSight Mental Health Monitor
The GeneSight Mental Health Monitor is a nationwide survey conducted online by ACUPOLL Precision Research, Inc. between May 8-15, 2024, among a representative sample (n=1000) of U.S. adults age 18+. The margin of error in survey results for the total base population at a 95% confidence interval is +/- 3%. A nationally representative sample of adults aged 18 years or older was recruited and balanced to match U.S. Census quotas across five primary metrics (i.e., age, gender, income, region, ethnicity).

In addition to the nationally representative sample, a statistically reliable sample was desired of respondents who were self-reported as being diagnosed by a medical professional with depression or anxiety. The study also used mental health screening instruments, the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2) for depression, and the General Anxiety Disorder (GAD-2) for anxiety, to better understand this population.

ACUPOLL has more than 30 years of experience conducting statistically valid research through careful recruiting and quality control measures.

About the GeneSight Test
The GeneSight Psychotropic test from Myriad Genetics is the category-leading pharmacogenomic test for more than 60 medications commonly prescribed for depression, anxiety, ADHD, and other psychiatric conditions. The GeneSight test can help inform clinicians about how a patient’s genes may impact how they metabolize and/or respond to certain psychiatric medications. Tens of thousands of clinicians have ordered the GeneSight test for more than two million patients in order to receive genetic information that is unique to each patient. The GeneSight test supplements other information considered by a clinician as part of a comprehensive medical assessment. Learn more at GeneSight.com.

About Myriad Genetics
Myriad Genetics is a leading genetic testing and precision medicine company dedicated to advancing health and well-being for all. Myriad develops and offers genetic tests that help assess the risk of developing disease or disease progression and guide treatment decisions across medical specialties where genetic insights can significantly improve patient care and lower healthcare costs. For more information, visit www.myriad.com.

Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including that the GeneSight test could be a useful tool when individuals are working with a clinician to find the right medication prescribed to treat mental health conditions and it may be particularly useful for clinicians in the months leading up to the election as the Special Election Survey indicates that 40% of Americans report feeling ‘depressed and/or anxious’ about the upcoming election. These “forward-looking statements” are management’s expectations of future events as of the date hereof and are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, conditions, and events to differ materially and adversely from those anticipated. Such factors include those risks described in the company’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including the company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed on February 28, 2024, as well as any updates to those risk factors filed from time to time in the company’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q or Current Reports on Form 8-K. Myriad is not under any obligation, and it expressly disclaims any obligation, to update or alter any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise except as required by law.

Matt Scalo
(801) 584-3532
IR@myriad.com

Media Contact
Glenn Farrell
(385) 318-3718
PR@myriad.com

FAQ

How does election season affect mental health according to the Myriad Genetics survey?

The survey by Myriad Genetics found that 40% of Americans feel depressed or anxious during the election season.

What percentage of Americans feel more anxious due to election-related news and social media?

Nearly 38% of Americans reported increased anxiety due to election-related news and social media.

How many Americans diagnosed with depression or anxiety are receiving professional treatment?

Only 37% of Americans diagnosed with depression or anxiety are currently seeing a healthcare professional for treatment.

What is the GeneSight test, and how does it help in treating mental health conditions?

The GeneSight test helps clinicians understand how patients metabolize and respond to medications for depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions, aiding in more effective treatment.

When will Myriad Genetics release the next surveys in the Special Election Series?

Myriad Genetics plans to release the next surveys in the Special Election Series in September and October.