Non-Hispanic Black or African Americans reported experiencing major depressive episodes 74% as frequently as the total population in 2024.
In 2024, Non-Hispanic Black or African Americans received mental health treatment through prescription medication at 52% the rate of the total population.
Mental Health Status
Adults
Adults ages 18 and over who regularly had feelings of worry, nervousness, or anxiety, percentage, 2024 Black Total Population Ratio (Black / Total) 10.3 12.2 0.84
Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. (2025). Interactive summary health statistics for adults: Percentage of regularly had feelings of worry, nervousness, or anxiety for adults aged 18 and over, United States, 2024 Any mental illness in the past year among persons ages 18 and over, percentage, 2024 Black* Total Population Ratio (Black* / Total) 20.9 23.4 0.89
Source: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality. (2025). Results from the 2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Mental health detailed tables Serious psychological distress in the past year among persons ages 18 and over, percentage, 2024 Black* Total Population Ratio (Black* / Total) 12.2 13.9 0.88
Source: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality. (2025). Results from the 2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Mental health detailed tables Major depressive episode in the past year among persons ages 18 and over, percentage, 2024 Black* Total Population Ratio (Black* / Total) 6.1 8.2 0.74
Source: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality. (2025). Results from the 2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Mental health detailed tables Adolescents
Students in grades 9–12 who seriously considered attempting suicide in the past 12 months, percentage, 2023 Black* Total Population Ratio (Black* / Total) Male 11.6 14.1 0.82 Female 27.7 27.1 1.02 Both Sexes 19.6 20.4 0.96
Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System. (2024). 1991-2023 High School Youth Risk Behavior Survey data: High school students who seriously considered attempting suicide Students in grades 9–12 who attempted suicide in the past 12 months, percentage, 2023 Black* Total Population Ratio (Black* / Total) Male 7.4 6.4 1.16 Female 13.4 12.6 1.06 Both Sexes 10.3 9.5 1.08
Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System. (2024). 1991-2023 High School Youth Risk Behavior Survey data: High school students who actually attempted suicide Mortality
Adults
Age-adjusted death rates for suicide by sex, race, and Hispanic origin, 2022 Black* Total Population Ratio (Black* / Total) Male 14.9 23.0 0.65 Female 3.5 5.9 0.59 Both Sexes 8.9 14.2 0.63
Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. (2025). Deaths: Final data for 2022 Adolescents
Death rates for suicide: ages 15–19, 2022 Black* Total Population Ratio (Black* / Total) Male 14.8 13.9 1.06 Female 5.3 4.7 1.28 Both Sexes 10.1 9.5 1.06
Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. (2022). Web based injury statistics query and reporting system (WISQARS): Violent deaths report Health Care Use
Adults ages 18 and over who received mental health treatment in the past year, percentage, 2024 Black* Total Population Ratio (Black* / Total) 14.7 22.9 0.64
Source: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality. (2025). Results from the 2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Mental health detailed tables Adults ages 18 and over who received mental health treatment through prescription medication, percentage, 2024 Black* Total Population Ratio (Black* / Total) 8.7 16.7 0.52
Source: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality. (2025). Results from the 2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Mental health detailed tables Adults ages 18 and over with a major depressive episode in the past year who received treatment for depression, percentage, 2024 Black* Total Population Ratio (Black* / Total) 52.1 64.4 0.81
Source: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality. (2025). Results from the 2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Mental health detailed tables *Population is non-Hispanic in the data source.
