Mental health takes a backseat to physical health in the US, according to a new survey of the US health care system. About 75% of respondents said that mental health problems are identified and treated somewhat worse or much worse than physical illnesses, although 81% perceived a greater incidence of mental illness in the past five years.
West Health, a national nonprofit focused on aging and health care, teamed up with Gallup to survey nearly 2,300 American adults in February. The results were announced on Wednesday.
About 5% of respondents thought that mental health problems are treated somewhat better or much better, and 15% thought that mental and physical health problems are treated the same.
The older the respondents, the more likely they were to think that mental health problems are treated worse:
- 1829: 66%
- 3049: 76%
- 5064: 78%
- 65+: 82%
Many Americans struggle with mental and behavioral health conditions that are often not addressed in the context of the treatment and management of other medical conditions, West Health President Timothy Lash said in a news 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 inextricably linked and critical to overall health, successful aging, and quality of life.
Respondents were also asked if they themselves had had a mental illness in the past year. Those who said no were more likely to think that mental health is treated worse than physical health, 79% compared to 72% of people who had experienced mental illness.
America’s health care systems report card was also poor, with a plurality of respondents giving it a D for treating mental health conditions:
- To: 1%
- B: 8%
- C: 27%
- D: 32%
- F: 25%
People perceive that mental health conditions are skyrocketing in America
The vast majority of respondents said the number of Americans with mental health problems, including depression and anxiety, has increased a little or increased a lot compared to five years ago, 39 percent and 42 percent, respectively.
Women and 5064 people were more likely to say the incidence has increased, while men and 3049 people were more likely to say it has stayed the same. Only 4% of all respondents said the incidence has decreased.
Mental illness still clouded by stigma
The subject of mental illness may no longer be the taboo it was half a century ago, but 70% of respondents believe that society views people with mental health problems in a very negative or somewhat negative light. Only 6% said that society does not see them negatively. Absolutely not.
Respondents who reported having a mental health disorder in the past year were more likely to say that society has a negative view of people like them.
Adults aged 65 and over were more likely to think that people don’t see mental illness, while 1,829 young adults were more likely to think that society views mental illness more positively.
Cost of treatment main barrier to mental health care
Mental health treatment is too expensive. This is the main factor that respondents said would prevent them from seeking care for this condition. Difficulty finding a supplier was the second most common reason. Respondents could select more than one reason; other options included being able to cope with the illness without treatment, embarrassment or shame, and not thinking that treatment would help.
People in 1829 and those who had recently had a mental illness were more likely to say that treatment is 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 illness. Respondents who had not recently suffered from a mental illness were slightly more likely to say they could cope with the condition without treatment.
Effectively meeting the behavioral health needs of Americans and their families across the life stages 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 considerable numbers of people who are not getting the treatment they need, a situation that can only get worse as the population ages.
Effective approaches, including person-centered and integrated models of behavioral health that deliver services through clinics or community organizations, should be leveraged more to ensure that people can receive the care they need when and where they need it. they need
If you need immediate mental health support, contact the 988 Suicide and Lifeline crisis.
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