UWLP Releases Research on Utah Women and Mental Health

Based on a 2025 ranking from WalletHub, Utah is the 4th “Happiest” state in the nation, so one might conclude 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. Recent data finds that Utah holds the second-highest percentage of adults (29.9%) living with any mental illness, not far behind Oregon (30.2%). These statistics underscore that mental health remains a pressing issue for many Utah residents.  

The Utah State University Utah Women & Leadership Project (UWLP) has recently published a research report, “Utah Women and Mental Health: A 2025 Update.” This report builds upon a 2017 snapshot and incorporates new data and trends. Among the vast range of mental health conditions, depression and anxiety disorders are among the most common in Utah. 

The following information can help Utahns understand the relationship between Utah women and mental health in 2025.  

Current Status of Mental Health in Utah  

According to the most recent data from the Utah Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), 26.1% of adults have ever been told by a healthcare professional that they have a depressive disorder. A deeper look at the data reveals a troubling trend for Utah females: 32.5% of women report being diagnosed with depression, nearly double the 19.5% reported by men. Additionally, a concerning number of Utah women—especially those ages 18 to 34—report experiencing more than seven days of poor mental health within the previous month.  

Unfortunately, the data seem to worsen among younger Utahns, as 42.4% of female youth reported feeling sadness or hopelessness for at least two consecutive weeks, compared to 25.8% of young men. Mental health concerns are particularly significant in Utah’s diverse communities. In fact, rates of poor mental health are exceptionally high among young women who are Hispanic/Latina (49.3%), American Indian/Alaska Native (47.5%), and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (45.6%). 

Factors Surrounding Mental Health Issues 

Ongoing research has explored and established several demographic factors that are associated with poor mental health in women, including poverty, lower education levels, physical health problems, and adverse life events related to safety and security. Unfortunately, Utah has worse than the national average in several areas of women’s safety and security. 

 

• Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs): Utahns’ exposure to four or more ACEs is above the national average—the seventh-highest ACE score in the US. Women are disproportionately impacted, and 18.3% of Utah women report experiencing four or more ACEs—which includes the1 in 5 Utah women who report having experienced childhood sexual abuse. This is significant as an ACE score of four or more increases the likelihood of negative impacts on mental and behavioral health. 

• Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence: Utah is ranked 7th in the nation for the number of forcible rapes per capita and one of the worst states (46th) for the prevalence of rape victimization among women. And when combined with Utah’s unacceptable rates of domestic and intimate partner violence (1 in 3 Utah women will experience contact sexual violence, physical violence, and/or stalking in her lifetime), it should not be surprising that Utah women and girls experience challenges with mental health. 

• Social Isolation and Disconnection: The COVID-19 pandemic’s need for social distancing may be over, but the forced isolation ushered in a new era of research into the impact of feeling socially disconnected. Mental health symptoms and social isolation have a reciprocal relationship in that depression, anxiety, and higher levels of perceived stress are associated with increased feelings of loneliness. In fact, in 2023 the U.S. Surgeon General declared the current state of disconnection and loneliness a public health crisis, calling for prioritization of building social connection and community. 

• Discrimination: Discrimination can be both an immediate and chronic stressor, with numerous implications regarding physical and mental health. Gender-based discrimination results in accumulated effects, but it may lead to other gender-based victimization, such as domestic violence or sexual assault.  

 

Efforts to Address Mental Health in Utah: Various agencies throughout the state support strategies to improve mental health among Utahns, including the Utah Department of Human Services Office of Substance Use and Mental Health (OSUMH), the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), Live On Utah Campaign, the Utah Wellbeing Project, Trauma Informed Utah, and the Huntsman Mental Health Institute. These agencies and initiatives are working together to offer resources, support, and recommendations to bring more change and acknowledgement to mental health in the state. In addition, A Bolder Way Forward, an initiative of the UWLP, is working with leaders and partners to not only improve mental health resources and services for women, but to also address root causes, honing in on reducing sexual and physical violence, providing workforce development opportunities, and expanding opportunities for education. 

“Mental health remains a significant concern for women in Utah, with rates of depression and other mental health conditions higher than national averages,” says Susan Madsen, co-author of the report, director of the UWLP, and a professor of organizational leadership in the Huntsman School of Business at USU. “By enhancing awareness and support systems, Utah can more effectively address the mental health challenges its women face, which will ultimately lead to healthier and stronger families and communities.” 

Kolene Anderson, Sadie Wilde, Dr. Chloe Bohmick, and Dr. Susan Madsen co-authored the report.  

The “A Bolder Way Forward” initiative provides opportunities for Utahns to learn and contribute to meaningful change across 18 areas. For more information, visit the UWLP website at utwomen.org. The UWLP is also affiliated with USU Extension.  

  

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