Midwest Depression Care Survey 2026
What 443 adults across ten Midwest states said about depression that standard medication did not help, where they would go first, whose advice they trust, and how they would pay for care. These are the full topline results, published here as the single citable source for this survey.
Headline findings
In plain language. Every figure is a share of all 443 respondents, from the final validated data.
- A doctor's word outweighs advertising74 percent said a recommendation from their own doctor would most make them try a new depression treatment. 2 percent said an ad.
- Most people would start with their primary doctor56 percent would go to their primary doctor first. 12 percent would search online themselves.
- Few have heard of Spravato73 percent had never heard of Spravato (esketamine). 6 percent said they know what it is.
- Insurance coverage leads every other factor85 percent ranked "covered by insurance" among the two things that matter most when choosing a provider.
- Commercial insurance and Medicaid are nearly tied39 percent are covered by commercial or private insurance, the largest group, with Medicaid a close second at 37 percent. 23 percent have Medicare.
- Depression that standard medication did not help is common72 percent have personal or close experience with depression, anxiety, or PTSD that did not improve on standard medication.
- Open far more often than opposed51 percent were open to ketamine therapy for depression or PTSD (cautious but open, or hopeful). 9 percent reacted negatively.
- A general-population sampleAbout 7 percent are themselves a veteran, active military member, or first responder (29 of 443). Most respondents, 58 percent, have no such connection.
Full topline results
Each table shows every answer with its share of respondents and raw count. Shares are rounded to whole percents, so a column may not sum to exactly 100. Multi-select questions total more than 100 percent. How answers differ by group follows in the group breakdowns.
| Answer | Share of respondents | Count |
|---|---|---|
| Yes, 18 or older and I consent | 100% | 443 |
| No, I would rather not take part | 0% | 0 |
Everyone who did not consent was screened out, so all 443 completes consented.
| Answer | Share of respondents | Count |
|---|---|---|
| None of the above | 58% | 258 |
| Parent or family member of a veteran or first responder | 29% | 129 |
| Spouse or partner of a veteran or first responder | 6% | 27 |
| First responder (police, fire, EMS) | 4% | 18 |
| Veteran or active military | 2% | 11 |
About 7 percent are themselves a veteran, active military member, or first responder (29 of 443). Combined, 42 percent have some connection.
| Answer | Share of respondents | Count |
|---|---|---|
| Yes, myself | 37% | 166 |
| No | 28% | 124 |
| Yes, someone close to me | 22% | 97 |
| Both | 13% | 56 |
Combined, 72 percent answered yes in some form, and 50 percent said it was themselves (yes, myself, or both).
Q4If you were looking for help, what exact words would you type into Google?
Open text · n=319 answered. Examples of what people typed, shown as written. Respondents typed symptoms and requests for help; almost none typed a drug name.
- “help with depression”
- “help with ptsd”
- “ptsd help”
- “how to help someone with depression”
- “depression medicine alternatives”
- “ptsd treatments”
- “therapist near me”
- “how to overcome depression”
- “best ways to handle depression”
- “how to cope with my anxiety”
- “help with mental health”
- “someone please help me”
- “depressed”
| Answer | Share of respondents | Count |
|---|---|---|
| No | 73% | 324 |
| I've heard the name | 21% | 92 |
| Yes, I know what it is | 6% | 27 |
Combined, 94 percent could not say what Spravato is (had never heard of it, or had heard the name only).
| Answer | Share of respondents | Count |
|---|---|---|
| Cautious but open | 34% | 150 |
| Skeptical | 21% | 94 |
| Never heard of it | 18% | 79 |
| Hopeful or curious | 18% | 78 |
| Negative, it sounds like a drug | 9% | 42 |
Combined, 51 percent were open (cautious but open, or hopeful or curious) and 31 percent were skeptical or negative.
| Answer | Share of respondents | Count |
|---|---|---|
| Big impact | 43% | 191 |
| It's the deciding factor | 22% | 96 |
| Some | 21% | 94 |
| None | 14% | 62 |
Combined, 65 percent said insurance is the deciding factor or a big factor.
| Answer | Share of respondents | Count |
|---|---|---|
| Big impact | 40% | 178 |
| Some | 27% | 121 |
| It's the deciding factor | 19% | 83 |
| None | 14% | 61 |
Combined, 59 percent said FDA approval is the deciding factor or a big factor.
| Answer | Share of respondents | Count |
|---|---|---|
| Option A: covered by insurance, more hoops | 51% | 224 |
| Not sure, depends | 26% | 115 |
| Option B: pay myself, simpler to start | 23% | 104 |
| Answer | Share of respondents | Count |
|---|---|---|
| My primary doctor | 56% | 250 |
| A psychiatrist or mental health provider | 23% | 102 |
| Search online myself | 12% | 51 |
| I wouldn't know where to start | 5% | 22 |
| Ask a friend or family member | 1% | 6 |
One further answer option, chosen by 12 of 443 respondents (3 percent), is not shown.
| Answer | Share of respondents | Count |
|---|---|---|
| In person at a local clinic | 44% | 194 |
| Start in a clinic, then move to at-home | 23% | 103 |
| At home via telehealth (medication shipped to me) | 22% | 98 |
| No preference or not sure | 11% | 48 |
Combined, 67 percent want a clinic involved (in person, or starting in a clinic and then moving home).
| Answer | Share of respondents | Count |
|---|---|---|
| My own doctor | 74% | 330 |
| A close friend or family member | 18% | 79 |
| A veteran or first responder I follow online | 4% | 18 |
| An ad I saw | 2% | 10 |
| A podcast host I trust | 1% | 6 |
| Answer | Share of respondents | Count |
|---|---|---|
| Don't know TMS, but drug-free matters | 51% | 224 |
| Don't know TMS, doesn't matter | 25% | 109 |
| I know TMS, and drug-free matters a lot | 13% | 59 |
| I know TMS, doesn't change much | 12% | 51 |
Combined, 64 percent said drug-free matters; 25 percent know what TMS is.
| Answer | Share of respondents | Count |
|---|---|---|
| Covered by insurance | 85% | 376 |
| Close to home | 43% | 192 |
| FDA-approved and proven | 27% | 119 |
| Fast results | 24% | 108 |
| Private or discreet | 11% | 48 |
| Specializes in veterans and first responders | 10% | 43 |
Respondents picked two, so shares total more than 100 percent.
| Answer | Share of respondents | Count |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial or private insurance | 39% | 173 |
| Medicaid | 37% | 163 |
| Medicare | 23% | 100 |
| None, uninsured | 9% | 39 |
| TRICARE (military) | 5% | 20 |
| Prefer not to say | 2% | 11 |
Respondents could pick more than one, so shares total more than 100 percent.
Group breakdowns
How answers differ across groups of respondents. Each figure is the share of that group, and each group's size is shown as n. The first row is all 443 respondents, for comparison. Only groups of 30 or more respondents are reported. TRICARE members (20 respondents) and respondents who are themselves a veteran or first responder (29) are too small to report, so no figures are given for either. The St. Louis TV market group is small (31), so read it with care. Coverage groups overlap, because respondents could name more than one type of coverage.
| Group | Respondents (n) | Never heard of Spravato | Open to ketamine therapy | Own doctor would move them most | Would go to primary doctor first | Prefer an in-person clinic | Drug-free option matters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All respondents | 443 | 73% | 51% | 74% | 56% | 44% | 64% |
| Covered by Medicaid | 163 | 69% | 55% | 75% | 61% | 45% | 63% |
| Covered by commercial insurance | 173 | 74% | 49% | 81% | 57% | 40% | 71% |
| Covered by Medicare | 100 | 72% | 48% | 69% | 60% | 50% | 56% |
| Uninsured | 39 | 85% | 56% | 67% | 51% | 38% | 54% |
| Family or spouse of a veteran or first responder | 156 | 64% | 57% | 73% | 60% | 49% | 72% |
| Parents or family of a veteran or first responder | 129 | 64% | 55% | 75% | 63% | 52% | 71% |
| Ages 18 to 34 | 142 | 70% | 53% | 71% | 51% | 44% | 61% |
| Ages 35 to 49 | 171 | 70% | 54% | 70% | 56% | 46% | 60% |
| Ages 50 to 64 | 130 | 81% | 46% | 84% | 64% | 40% | 72% |
| Women | 279 | 76% | 49% | 75% | 58% | 42% | 65% |
| Men | 164 | 68% | 55% | 74% | 53% | 47% | 62% |
| Missouri residents | 55 | 75% | 55% | 65% | 45% | 38% | 71% |
| St. Louis TV market | 31 | 74% | 58% | 68% | 61% | 48% | 61% |
| Personally had depression that standard medication did not help | 222 | 70% | 55% | 73% | 53% | 47% | 60% |
| Group | Respondents (n) | Insurance is a deciding or big factor | Rank insurance in top two | Choose covered with hoops over self-pay | FDA approval is a deciding or big factor | Rank close to home in top two |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All respondents | 443 | 65% | 85% | 51% | 59% | 43% |
| Covered by Medicaid | 163 | 68% | 90% | 57% | 65% | 45% |
| Covered by commercial insurance | 173 | 67% | 84% | 50% | 54% | 43% |
| Covered by Medicare | 100 | 64% | 86% | 58% | 60% | 45% |
| Uninsured | 39 | 56% | 72% | 38% | 54% | 49% |
| Family or spouse of a veteran or first responder | 156 | 67% | 83% | 51% | 67% | 42% |
| Parents or family of a veteran or first responder | 129 | 64% | 84% | 48% | 64% | 43% |
| Ages 18 to 34 | 142 | 73% | 82% | 52% | 61% | 46% |
| Ages 35 to 49 | 171 | 62% | 85% | 51% | 57% | 43% |
| Ages 50 to 64 | 130 | 60% | 88% | 48% | 59% | 41% |
| Women | 279 | 63% | 87% | 50% | 57% | 42% |
| Men | 164 | 67% | 82% | 52% | 62% | 45% |
| Missouri residents | 55 | 58% | 93% | 44% | 51% | 42% |
| St. Louis TV market | 31 | 48% | 90% | 39% | 58% | 39% |
| Personally had depression that standard medication did not help | 222 | 69% | 87% | 55% | 64% | 45% |
Methodology
- Panel
- Pollfish consumer panel, survey 395586438.
- Fieldwork
- Closed June 23, 2026.
- Sample
- n=443 completed responses from adults aged 18 to 64.
- Geography
- Ten states: Missouri, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin, Minnesota.
- Screening
- Every respondent passed a consent screener; anyone who declined was screened out.
- Reporting
- Shares are unweighted percent of respondents, rounded half-up. Multi-select totals exceed 100 percent. Group breakdowns are reported only for groups of 30 or more respondents.
- Status
- Final. Figures come from the validated Pollfish respondent export, completed in September 2026.
- Disclosure
- Brain Recovery Centers commissioned and paid for this study.
How to cite
Please link to this page as the source: https://brainrecoverycenters.com/research/midwest-depression-care-survey-2026
Spravato® (esketamine) is FDA-approved for treatment-resistant depression and for depressive symptoms in adults with major depressive disorder with acute suicidal ideation or behavior. It is not FDA-approved for concussion, traumatic brain injury, or post-concussion syndrome. Use in patients with a concussion history is based on clinical judgment regarding the depression component. We do not offer IV ketamine infusions. This page is educational and not medical advice. Individual results vary.
If you're in crisis right now, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline), any hour; veterans can press 1. Brain Recovery Centers is not an emergency service.