Serious Psychological Distress and Mental Health Service Use Among Community-Dwelling Older U.S. Adults

Objective: Alcohol and (or) illicit drug use (AIDU) problems are associated with mental health difficulties, but low-to-moderate alcohol consumption may have mental health benefits, compared with abstinence. Our study aimed to explore the hypothesis of a nonlinear, or J-curve, relation between AIDU profiles and psychological distress, psychiatric disorders, and mental health service use in the general Canadian population. Methods: Data were collected from a representative sample of the Canadian population ( n = 36 984). Multiple correspondence analyses and cluster analyses were used to extract AIDU profiles. Sociodemographics, psychological distress, psychiatric disorders, and mental health service use were assessed and compared between profiles. Results: Seven AIDU profiles emerged, including 3 involving risky or problematic AIDU that correlate with major affective disorders, anxiety disorders, suicidal behaviours, and higher levels of psychological distress. No J-curve relation was found for psychiatric disorders and mental health service use. The lifetime-abstainer profile correlates with the lowest rates of psychiatric disorders and mental health service use. Lifetime abstainers are also more often female, immigrant, and unemployed. Compared with other profiles, spirituality is more important in their life. Conclusions: The hypothesis of a nonlinear relation between psychiatric disorders and AIDU was not supported. Lifetime AIDU abstainers have specific sociodemographic and cultural background characteristics in Canada.

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Examining Depression Symptoms With/Without Coexisting Anxiety Symptoms in Community-Dwelling Persons With Dementia

American Journal of Alzheimer s Disease & Other Dementias® ◽

10.1177/1533317521990267 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 36 ◽

pp. 153331752199026

Author(s):

Alexandra A. Sibley ◽

Srijana Shrestha ◽

Martha Lipovac-Dew ◽

Mark E. Kunik

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Health Service ◽

Health Service ◽

Service Use ◽

Anxiety Symptoms ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Mental Health Service Use ◽

Health Service Use ◽

Depression Symptoms ◽

Depression And Anxiety

Depression and anxiety are common in persons with dementia (PWD) and associated with poor outcomes. We explored frequency, pharmacologic management and mental health service use in PWD and depression symptoms with/without coexisting anxiety symptoms. The sample comprised 160 community-dwelling PWD in a trial to prevent development of aggression. Baseline data on depression and anxiety symptoms, psychotropic medications and mental health service use were examined. Regarding participants, 65 (41%) lacked clinically significant depression or anxiety symptoms, 45 (28%) had depression symptoms, 43 (27%) had depression and anxiety symptoms, and 7 (4%) had anxiety symptoms. Comorbid anxiety was associated with more severe depression symptoms. One third with depression symptoms and one half with depression and anxiety symptoms were taking an antidepressant. Mental health service use was very low, regardless of depression symptom severity or coexisting anxiety. Research needs to evaluate therapies for depressed PWD, but treatment of those with comorbid anxiety and depression is more urgent. Clinical Trial Registration for Parent Trial: ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02380703)

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Predictors of mental health service use among individuals with high psychological distress and mental disorders

Psychiatry Research ◽

10.1016/j.psychres.2018.10.019 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 270 ◽

pp. 1122-1130

Author(s):

Béatrice Simo ◽

Jean-Marie Bamvita ◽

Jean Caron ◽

Marie-Josée Fleury

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Psychological Distress ◽

Mental Health Service ◽

Mental Disorders ◽

Health Service ◽

Service Use ◽

Mental Health Service Use ◽

Health Service Use ◽

High Psychological Distress

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Psychological Distress in Workers’ Compensation Claimants: Prevalence, Predictors and Mental Health Service Use

Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation ◽

10.1007/s10926-019-09862-1 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 30 (2) ◽

pp. 194-202

Author(s):

Alex Collie ◽

Luke Sheehan ◽

Tyler J. Lane ◽

Ross Iles

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Psychological Distress ◽

Mental Health Service ◽

Health Service ◽

Service Use ◽

Mental Health Service Use ◽

Health Service Use ◽

Workers Compensation

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A randomised test of the effect of medical v. lay idiom on assessment of perceived mental health condition in the USA

Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences ◽

10.1017/s2045796020000840 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 29 ◽

Author(s):

J. Breslau ◽

R. McBain ◽

E. C. Wong ◽

E. Roth ◽

M. A. Burnam ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Psychological Distress ◽

Mental Health Service ◽

Health Service ◽

Service Use ◽

Poor Mental Health ◽

Mental Health Service Use ◽

Health Service Use ◽

Self Rated Health ◽

The Impact

Abstract Aims To test the impact of using different idioms in epidemiological interviews on the prevalence and correlates of poor mental health and mental health service use. Methods We conducted a randomised methodological experiment in a nationally representative sample of the US adult population, comparing a lay idiom, which asked about ‘problems with your emotions or nerves’ with a more medical idiom, which asked about ‘problems with your mental health’. Differences across study arms in the associations of endorsement of problems with the Kessler-6 (a validated assessment of psychological distress), demographic characteristics, self-rated health and mental health service use were examined. Results Respondents were about half as likely to endorse a problem when asked with the more medical idiom (18.1%) than when asked with the lay idiom (35.1%). The medical idiom had a significantly larger area under the ROC curve when compared against a validated measure of psychological distress than the lay idiom (0.91 v. 0.87, p = 0.012). The proportion of the population who endorsed a problem but did not receive treatment in the past year was less than half as large for the medical idiom (7.90%) than for the lay idiom (20.94%). Endorsement of problems differed in its associations with age, sex, race/ethnicity and self-rated health depending on the question idiom. For instance, the odds of endorsing problems were threefold higher in the youngest than the oldest age group when the medical idiom was used (OR = 3.07; 95% CI 1.47–6.41) but did not differ across age groups when the lay idiom was used (OR = 0.76; 95% CI 0.43–1.36). Conclusion Choice of idiom in epidemiological questionnaires can affect the apparent correlates of poor mental health and service use. Cultural change within populations over time may require changes in instrument wording to maintain consistency in epidemiological measurement of psychiatric conditions.

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