Catapult Health Adds Anxiety Screening to its VirtualCheckup Solution to Better Assess Hidden Mental Health Issues Impacting the Workforce

DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Employees suffering from mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety, often go unnoticed and untreated. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), it is estimated that over 40 million employees suffer from some level of workplace related anxiety, with over one-third reporting panic attacks or a significant impact on their job performance. In a recent study of large employers, 89% of HR benefit managers said mental health support was a high priority for their company, due to a record number of employees either leaving the workforce, or “quietly quitting,” where employees do only the bare minimum at work.

Addressing mental health issues, such as anxiety, is increasingly key to maintaining workplace productivity. To address this increasing concern, Catapult Health will add screening for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) to its VirtualCheckup solution in January. This testing complements existing psychological testing provided by Catapult for depression (PHQ) and suicidal ideation (Columbia Suicide Severity Risk) and will provide the most comprehensive set of mental health screening available.

Individuals with GAD can feel extremely worried or nervous even during normal daily activities as GAD involves a persistent feeling of anxiety or dread that interferes with everyday life. People living with GAD experience frequent anxiety for months, if not years. Historically, GAD has been shown to affect 2.7% of adults each year, with rates higher for females (3.4%) than for males (1.9%). However, a recent study reported that during the first year of the pandemic rates of GAD jumped to almost 18%.

“The good news is that general anxiety disorder is treatable,” said David Michel, CEO for Catapult Health. “Unfortunately, it usually goes undiagnosed. Like many other hidden diseases, such as hypertension and diabetes, early diagnosis and treatment are important to prevent costly health events. Our goal is to identify the condition, educate the patient, and connect them to the best available resources for follow-up care.”

About Catapult Health

Catapult Health is the leading provider of virtual preventive care in America. With 3,500 employer customers and over 2 million covered lives, Catapult has revolutionized the annual preventive exam with its VirtualCheckup. Catapult’s solution targets health risks that lead to depression, hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease, and a recent third-party actuarial analysis of 416,000 patient records over 3 years revealed potential savings of $2.19 for every $1 invested. For more information, please visit www.catapulthealth.com.