What
According to the 10th annual Allianz Global Assistance Vacation Confidence Index, Americans who don’t feel like they can take a vacation, despite wanting to, are nearly two times as likely to show signs of moderately severe to severe depression compared to the national average. International polling expert Ipsos administered the Patient Health Questionnaire survey.
Why It Matters
Travel agents are in the business of advising folks not just where to go on vacation, but how to make the most of their lives. Whenever you can, remind them that taking themselves (and their loved ones) on a trip is not a frivolous thing — it has real benefits to their mental health and should be considered an important aspect of self-care.
Fast Facts
- Ipsos defines “Vacation Deficit Disorder” as “the relationship between a lack of vacation and depression, and vice versa”
- According to the study “almost one-third (30.4 percent) of Americans with a vacation deficit demonstrate symptoms of mild to moderate depression, while 12 percent would be considered to be suffering signs of moderately severe to severe depression.”
- The study also finds that “of the general population, those identified as displaying signs of moderately severe or severe depression are significantly less likely to have taken a vacation in the past two years, and are less likely to take a vacation in 2018.”
- Most Americans (58 percent) say it’s important that they get a vacation each year; of that group, 67 percent are confident that they’ll get one. This leaves a vacation deficit of 21 percent of Americans who find annual vacations important but aren’t confident they’ll take one in the next 12 months.
The Details
Allianz Global Assistance USA
www.allianztravelinsurance.com
