Hugh: Research Links Living in Rural Areas to Higher Anxiety, Depression

Since the start of the pandemic, many city-dwellers have ditched the urban landscape for small towns, but research shows the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. A study done at the University of Houston has linked living in rural areas to higher levels of anxiety and depression, along with lower levels of life satisfaction and self-purpose. The findings also identified small-town residents as being more neurotic and less open-minded than those who live in cities. Of course these traits can be seen in every environment, so the researchers point out that a major driving factor in these psychological differences is the access to mental health services. In many rural environments, health care of all kinds, but especially mental health care can be difficult to access.