Document Type

Article

Journal/Book Title/Conference

Utah Women Stats Research Snapshot

Volume

60

Publisher

Utah Women & Leadership Project

Publication Date

7-1-2025

First Page

1

Last Page

5

Abstract

According to the World Health Organization, “mental health is a state of well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to their community.”1 Based on a 2025 ranking from WalletHub, Utah is the 4th “Happiest” state in the nation, so one might draw the conclusion that Utahns experience good mental health. However, the rankings also reveal that Utah does not perform as well in the “Emotional & Physical Well-Being” category (in 27th place).2 Because mental health is an important indicator of overall well-being, this report aims to update the previous data from a research snapshot3 published by the Utah Women & Leadership Project (UWLP) in 2017. Since the original publication, factors impacting mental health conditions have shifted, including social isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, economic uncertainty, national and global events, and discrimination.

The previous snapshot referenced a 2015 national report that stated 17.9% of adult Americans (43.4 million people) suffered from a mental illness, and 4.0% of Americans (9.8 million people) had a serious mental illness (SMI) in the past year.4 In 2023, the numbers increased to 22.8% of US adults (58.7 million people) who experienced a mental illness, and 5.7% (or 14.6 million people) had experienced SMI.5 Recent data find that Utah holds the second-highest percentage of adults (29.9%) living with any mental illness, not far behind Oregon (30.2%).6

This research snapshot focuses on three key areas:

  1. Provides an updated overview of mental health rates for women, including trends and key demographics;
  2. Shares an analysis of factors currently surrounding mental health conditions in Utah; and
  3. Offers an update of statewide efforts being made to improve mental health among girls, women, and their families.

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