Which of the following is true about the prevalence of mental health issues in the United States?

• A. Mental health issues are more prevalent in children than in adults in the United States.
• B. Less than 5% of adults in the United States experience any mental health issue annually.
• C. The prevalence of mental health issues in the United States has remained unchanged for the past 50 years.
• D. Approximately one in five adults in the United States experiences a mental health issue each year.

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the term 'prevalence' in the context of mental health. Prevalence refers to the proportion of individuals in a population who have a specific mental health condition at a given time or over a specified period.
2. Step 2: Recognize that mental health issues can affect different age groups, but epidemiological data often show that adults have a significant prevalence rate, commonly reported as a percentage of the adult population.
3. Step 3: Review reliable sources such as the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to find statistics on the annual prevalence of mental health issues among adults in the United States.
4. Step 4: Compare the given statements with the known data: for example, the statement that less than 5% of adults experience mental health issues annually is inconsistent with data showing higher prevalence rates (around 20%). Similarly, the prevalence has changed over time due to various factors, so the claim of no change in 50 years is unlikely.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the most accurate statement is that approximately one in five adults in the United States experiences a mental health issue each year, reflecting the commonly cited prevalence rate of about 20%.