The American Journal of Managed Care (10/27, Steinzor) reports a study found that “nearly half of US adults experience some form of energy insecurity – and those affected face significantly higher odds of mental health symptoms, such as depression and anxiety.” In 2020, 33.5 million US households faced energy insecurity, which is “the inability to meet basic household energy needs, spanning economic, physical, and coping challenges.” Researchers observed that “among the 187 million adults represented in the weighted sample, more than 43% reported experiencing at least 1 form of energy insecurity in the previous year. Adults who were energy insecure were significantly more likely to report symptoms of depression and anxiety than those who were not.” They found that “after adjusting for sociodemographic and other social determinants of health, energy insecurity remained strongly associated with poor mental health outcomes. Specifically, individuals facing energy insecurity had more than twice the odds of experiencing anxiety and depression compared with energy-secure adults.” The study was published in JAMA Network Open. (SOURCE: APA Headlines)