Mental health is second only to physical health in the United States, according to a new study of the American health care system. About 75% of respondents said mental health problems were identified and treated “somewhat worse” or “much worse” than physical illnesses – although 81% saw an increase in the incidence of mental illness in the past five years.
West Healtha national non-profit organization focused on aging and health care, in collaboration with Gallup to poll nearly 2,300 American adults in February. the results They were released Wednesday.
About 5% of respondents believe that mental health issues are treated “somewhat better” or “much better,” and 15% believe that mental and physical health issues are treated equally.
The older the participants, the more likely they were to believe they had mental health problems Worse treatment:
- 18-29: 66%
- 30-49: 76%
- 50-64: 78%
- 65+: 82%
“Many Americans suffer from mental and behavioral health conditions that often go unaddressed in the context of treatment and management of other medical conditions,” Western Health President Timothy Lash said in a statement. New release. “Health systems, providers, caregivers, and patients themselves need to pay as much attention to mental health as they age as they do to their physical health. The two are closely linked to overall health, successful aging, and quality of life.”
Participants were also asked whether they had experienced a mental health condition within the past year. Those who said no were more likely to believe mental health is treated worse than physical health, 79% compared to 72% of people who had experienced mental illness.
The health care system in the United States Report card It was also weak, with a large number of respondents giving it a D for dealing with mental health conditions:
- a: 1%
- B: 8%
- A: 27%
- Dr: 32%
- F: 25%
People are aware of the dramatic rise in mental health conditions in the United States
The vast majority of survey participants said Number of Americans suffering from mental health illnessesIncluding depression and anxiety, “it increased somewhat” or “it increased a lot” compared to five years ago, 39% and 42%, respectively.
Women and people ages 50 to 64 were most likely to say the infection rate has increased, while men and people ages 30 to 49 were most likely to say the infection rate has stayed the same. Only 4% of survey participants said that the infection rate had decreased.
Mental illness is still surrounded by stigma
The topic of mental illness may no longer be the case It was taboo Half a century ago, 70% of survey respondents felt that society viewed people with mental health conditions “very negatively” or “somewhat negatively.” Only 6% said that society does not view them negatively at all.
Respondents who reported having had a mental health disorder within the past year were more likely to say the community had them Negative opinion of people like them.
Adults aged 65 and older were more likely to believe that people frown upon mental illness, while young people aged 18 to 29 were more likely to believe that society views mental illness more positively.
The cost of treatment is a major barrier to mental health care
Mental health treatment is very expensive. This is the main factor that participants said would prevent them from seeking care for such a condition. Difficulty finding a service provider was the second most common reason. Respondents were allowed to choose more than one reason; Other options included being able to cope with the condition without treatment or feeling ashamed or embarrassed, and not thinking that treatment would help.
People ages 18-29 and those who had recently experienced a mental health condition were most likely to say treatment was unaffordable. People 65 and older were less likely to say that shame or embarrassment would prevent them from seeking treatment for a mental or emotional health condition. Respondents who had not recently had a mental illness were somewhat more likely to say they could cope with such a condition without treatment.
“Effectively meeting the behavioral health needs of Americans and their families across the different stages of life requires providers, caregivers, policy makers, payers, and patients themselves to work together to reduce barriers to care,” Lash said in the press release. “There are still large numbers of people not getting the treatment they need – a situation that may get worse as the population ages.
“Effective approaches, including integrated, person-centered behavioral health models that deliver services through clinics or community-based organizations, should be fully leveraged to ensure people can get the care they need when and where they need it.”
If you need immediate mental health support, call 988 Suicide and Crises Lifeline.
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