TY - JOUR
T1 - Trends in contacts with mental health professionals and cost barriers to mental health care among adults with significant psychological distress in the United States
T2 - 1997-2002
AU - Mojtabai, Ramin
PY - 2005/11
Y1 - 2005/11
N2 - Objectives. I assessed recent trends in prevalence of any contact with mental health professionals and nonuse of mental health care or prescription medications owing to cost among adults with significant psychological distress. Methods. In samples drawn from the National Health Interview Survey of 1997-2002, multiple logistic regression analysis was used to examine the association of survey year with mental health professional contacts and nonuse of mental health care or prescription medications owing to cost. Results. The prevalence of any contact with mental health professionals increased from 29.1% in 1997 to 35.5% in 2002 (P < .05). The prevalence of nonuse of services because of cost also increased-from 15.6% to 20.0% for mental health care (P < .05) and from 27.7% to 34.1% for medication use (P < .001). Age, racial/ethnic, income, and insurance status disparities in receiving care persisted over the study period. Conclusions. The number of individuals in need of mental health care who contacted mental health professionals grew in recent years, as did the number of individuals who encountered cost barriers to such care. Barring dramatic improvements in health insurance coverage, more individuals will likely face such barriers in coming years.
AB - Objectives. I assessed recent trends in prevalence of any contact with mental health professionals and nonuse of mental health care or prescription medications owing to cost among adults with significant psychological distress. Methods. In samples drawn from the National Health Interview Survey of 1997-2002, multiple logistic regression analysis was used to examine the association of survey year with mental health professional contacts and nonuse of mental health care or prescription medications owing to cost. Results. The prevalence of any contact with mental health professionals increased from 29.1% in 1997 to 35.5% in 2002 (P < .05). The prevalence of nonuse of services because of cost also increased-from 15.6% to 20.0% for mental health care (P < .05) and from 27.7% to 34.1% for medication use (P < .001). Age, racial/ethnic, income, and insurance status disparities in receiving care persisted over the study period. Conclusions. The number of individuals in need of mental health care who contacted mental health professionals grew in recent years, as did the number of individuals who encountered cost barriers to such care. Barring dramatic improvements in health insurance coverage, more individuals will likely face such barriers in coming years.
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U2 - 10.2105/AJPH.2003.037630
DO - 10.2105/AJPH.2003.037630
M3 - Review article
C2 - 16195533
AN - SCOPUS:27644445277
SN - 0090-0036
VL - 95
SP - 2009
EP - 2014
JO - American journal of public health
JF - American journal of public health
IS - 11
ER -