Abstract
In the US, many individuals with schizophrenia in the community receive no or little mental healthcare for long periods of time. Their other health- and social care needs also are often unmet. Even among individuals who do receive some form of mental healthcare, the quality of care in usual treatment settings often falls short of evidence-based standards, especially with regard to psychosocial treatments. The expansion of managed care has further eroded the use of psychosocial treatments and, in some settings, continuity of care. Perhaps as a result of substandard treatment, at least half of schizophrenia patients in usual treatment settings in the US continue to experience significant symptoms. As the country's healthcare system moves toward broader health insurance coverage and greater parity between mental and physical healthcare, improving the accessibility and quality of services for patients with severe mental disorders remains a formidable challenge.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 112-116 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | European Psychiatric Review |
Volume | 4 |
Issue number | 2 |
State | Published - Dec 2011 |
Keywords
- Continuity of care
- Managed care
- Mental health services
- Schizophrenia
- Unmet needs
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Psychiatry and Mental health