How state COVID rules affected adults' mental health, overdoses, and suicide
Official title: States' COVID-19 Mitigation Policies and Psychological Health, Drug Overdose, and Suicide among U.S. Adults
Funded at Syracuse University · NIH-11177947 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how state COVID-19 policies like lockdowns and financial supports changed mental health, overdose deaths, and suicide risk for U.S. adults.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Syracuse University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Syracuse, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2021 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $377,109 |
| NIH project number | 5U01DA055972-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11177947 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults (21 and older) living in the United States, especially working-age and older adults who experienced pandemic-related policies and are willing to report how those policies affected their mental health, are the ideal candidates for participation.
✕Less likely to help
People under 21, non-U.S. residents, or individuals seeking immediate clinical treatment for mental health or substance use conditions are unlikely to directly benefit from this research.
What this research studies
From a participant's view, researchers combine adults' self-reports about how COVID and related policies affected their lives with county-level records of overdose and suicide deaths to see patterns over time. They create composite measures of state policies (for example, stay-at-home orders, eviction bans, and unemployment benefits) and use advanced statistical models to link those policies to changes in mental health and mortality. The team compares short- and longer-term effects and adjusts for differences across counties, ages, and time periods to isolate policy impacts.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could guide future state policies to better protect mental health and reduce overdose and suicide during public health emergencies.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have linked pandemic policies to mental health and overdose trends with mixed results, and this project uses new combined data and modeling to provide clearer insights.
Where this research is happening
-
Syracuse University
Syracuse, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Monnat, Shannon M — Syracuse University
- Study coordinator: Monnat, Shannon M
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.