scholarly journals Does Having a Chronic Physical Condition Affect the Likelihood of Treatment Seeking for a Mental Health Problem and Does This Vary by Ethnicity?

2011 ◽  
Vol 42 (4) ◽  
pp. 421-436 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. M. Scott ◽  
J. Kokaua ◽  
J. Baxter

Objective: The comorbidity of mental disorders with chronic physical conditions is known to have important clinical consequences, but it is not known whether mental-physical comorbidity influences mental health treatment seeking. This study investigates whether the presence of a chronic physical condition influences the likelihood of seeking treatment for a mental health problem, and whether that varies among ethnic subgroups in New Zealand. Methods: Analyses were based on a subsample ( n = 7,435) of The New Zealand Mental Health Survey, a nationally representative household survey of adults (response rate 73.3%). Ethnic subgroups (Maori and Pacific peoples) were oversampled. DSM-IV mental disorders were measured face-to-face with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI 3.0). Ascertainment of chronic physical conditions was via self-report. Results: In the general population, having a chronic medical condition increased the likelihood of seeking mental health treatment from a general practitioner (OR: 1.58), as did having a chronic pain condition (OR: 2.03). Comorbid chronic medical conditions increased the likelihood of seeking mental health treatment most strongly among Pacific peoples (ORs: 2.86–4.23), despite their being less likely (relative to other ethnic groups) to seek mental health treatment in the absence of physical condition comorbidity. Conclusion: In this first investigation of this topic, this study finds that chronic physical condition comorbidity increases the likelihood of seeking treatment for mental health problems. This provides reassurance to clinicians and health service planners that the difficult clinical problem of mental-physical comorbidity is not further compounded by the comorbidity itself constituting a barrier to mental health treatment seeking.

2006 ◽  
Vol 40 (10) ◽  
pp. 882-888 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kate M. Scott ◽  
Mark A. Oakley Browne ◽  
Magnus A. Mcgee ◽  
J. Elisabeth Wells ◽  

Objective: To estimate the prevalence of chronic physical conditions, and the risk factors for those conditions, among those with 12 month mental disorder; to estimate the prevalence of 12 month mental disorder among those with chronic physical conditions. Method: A nationally representative face-to-face household survey was carried out in October 2003 to December 2004 with 12 992 participants aged 16 years and over, achieving a response rate of 73.3%. Mental disorders were measured with the World Mental Health version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI 3.0). Physical conditions were self-reported. All associations are reported adjusted for age and sex. Results: People with (any) mental disorder, relative to those without mental disorder, had higher prevalences of several chronic physical conditions (chronic pain, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and respiratory conditions) and chronic condition risk factors (smoking, overweight/obesity, hazardous alcohol use). Around a quarter of people with chronic physical conditions had a comorbid mental disorder compared with 15% of the population without chronic conditions. Significant relationships occurred between some mental disorders and obesity, cardiovascular disease and diabetes for females, but not for males. Conclusions: This paper provides evidence of substantial comorbidity between mental disorders and chronic physical conditions in New Zealand. This should be borne in mind by clinicians working in both mental health and medical services.


2006 ◽  
Vol 40 (10) ◽  
pp. 889-895 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kate M. Scott ◽  
Magnus A. McGee ◽  
J. Elisabeth Wells ◽  
Mark A. Oakley Browne

Objective: To show the disability associated with 1 month mental disorders and chronic physical conditions for the New Zealand population, controlling for comorbidity, age and sex. Method: A nationally representative face-to-face household survey was carried out from October 2003 to December 2004 with 12 992 participants aged 16 years and over, achieving a response rate of 73.3%. Mental disorders were measured with the World Mental Health (WMH) Survey Initiative version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI 3.0). Disability was measured with the WMH Survey Initiative version of the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WMH WHO-DAS) in the long-form subsample (n = 7435). Outcomes include five WMH WHO-DAS domain scores for those with 1 month mental disorders and with chronic physical conditions. Results: Mood disorders were associated with more disability than anxiety or substance use disorders. Experiencing multiple mental disorders was associated with substantial role impairment. Mental disorders and chronic physical conditions were associated with similar degrees of disability on average. The combination of mental and physical disorders had additive effects on associated disability. Conclusions: Mood disorders are disabling. The investigation of disability in relation to 1 month rather than 12 month disorders is likely to provide a clearer indication of the disability associated with mood disorders. Although some researchers have queried whether negative mood can lead to ‘over-reporting’ of disability, recent conceptualizations of disability provide a perspective which may ease such concerns. Comorbidity, of mental disorders or of mental and physical disorders, is disabling.


2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Skye K. Gillispie ◽  
Thomas W. Britt ◽  
Crystal M. Burnette ◽  
Anna C. McFadden ◽  
Chad R. Breeden

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Ellen Mackesy-Amiti ◽  
Lawrence J. Ouellet

Background. We examined correlates of past year suicidal thoughts and behavior (STB) and described past year treatment experiences among young people who inject drugs (PWID). Methods. Participants were 570 adults (18-25 years) who injected primarily heroin. Interviews were conducted at field stations operated by Community Outreach Intervention Projects in Chicago, Illinois (USA). Interviewers administered the Psychiatric Research Instrument for Substance and Mental Disorders. Substance use and mental disorders were based on DSM-IV diagnostic criteria. Past year STB was based on multiple questions. Results. Sixteen percent of men and 25% of women reported STB in the past year. In multivariable analysis, STB was associated with non-heterosexual orientation, foster care, and being raised by two parents. Primary major depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, other anxiety disorders, and borderline personality disorder had independent effects on suicidality. Among those reporting past year STB (n=111), 83% ever received mental health treatment, while 44% did so in the past year. While 24% of respondents indicated that at least one treatment matched their needs very well, 30% reported treatment that did not match their needs at all. The most common reason for ending treatment was program completion (about 50%) while getting better was endorsed by about 25%. Nearly half reported ending treatment due to a bad experience, logistical issues, or expense. Conclusions. Young PWID are at high risk for suicidal behavior and their mental health treatment experiences often do not meet their needs. There is a pressing need for more integrated substance use and mental health treatment.


2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 230-239 ◽  
Author(s):  
Magdalena Kulesza ◽  
Eric R. Pedersen ◽  
Patrick W. Corrigan ◽  
Grant N. Marshall

2015 ◽  
Vol 180 (10) ◽  
pp. 1041-1051 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa J. Colpe ◽  
James A. Naifeh ◽  
Pablo A. Aliaga ◽  
Nancy A. Sampson ◽  
Steven G. Heeringa ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 46 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S227-S228
Author(s):  
Emily Petti ◽  
Pamela Rakhshan Rouhakhtar ◽  
Mallory J Klaunig ◽  
Miranda Bridgwater ◽  
Caroline Roemer ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Despite increases in psychiatric treatment-seeking in the U.S., sociodemographic and racial inequalities in mental health service utilization and quality of care remain, particularly among Black/African-American populations. Factors including trauma and racial discrimination impact psychosis spectrum symptom severity, but little is known about how these factors uniquely impact treatment-seeking behaviors and attitudes among youth with psychosis-like experiences (PEs). The current study examined the associations between trauma, discrimination, self-reported PEs, race, and treatment-seeking among a racially diverse group of college-aged youth endorsing high levels of PEs. Methods Participants were college students between 18 - 25 years of age (N = 177). The sample included individuals with self-reported race of Asian, Black, or White who endorsed PEs at a “high-risk” cutoff level as per the Prime Screen or Prodromal Questionnaire (PQ), commonly used measures of PEs. Analyses included the PQ total score to measure PEs; trauma history was assessed with the Life Events Checklist (total number of lifetime traumatic experiences endorsed); discrimination was measured by the 9-item situation section of the Experiences of Discrimination questionnaire. Participants self-reported mental health service utilization in the past 2 months (current), before 3 months ago (past), as well as how strongly they were considering seeking mental health care (future). Binary logistic regressions were used to analyze the associations between past and current help-seeking and race, trauma, discrimination, and PEs. A multiple linear regression analysis was performed to evaluate the associations between future treatment-seeking and race, PEs, trauma, and discrimination. Results Participants with higher PQ scores were more likely to endorse past (b = 0.04, SE = 0.15, χ2[1] = 8.03, p < .01, OR = 1.04), current (b = 0.05, SE =0.02, χ2[1] = 8.99, p < .01, OR = 1.05), and future treatment (b = 0.04, t(1) = 3.32, p < .01, f2 = 0.07). Asian and Black participants were significantly less likely than their White peers to have received past treatment (bAsian = -1.94, SEAsian = 0.47, χ2Asian[1] = 17.15, pAsian < .001, ORAsian = 0.14; bBlack = -1.53, SEBlack = 0.48, χ2Black[1] = 10.04, pBlack < .01, ORBlack = 0.22), current treatment (bAsian = -1.56, SEAsian = 0.51, χ2Asian[1] = 9.41, pAsian < .01, ORAsian = 0.21; bBlack = -1.06, SEBlack = 0.52, χ2Black[1] = 4.20, pBlack < .05, ORBlack = 0.35), and to be considering future treatment (bAsian = -0.51, tAsian (1) = -1.94, pAsian = .06, f2Asian = 0.02; bBlack = -0.58, tBlack (1) = -2.02, pBlack < .05, f2Black = 0.03). Experiences of trauma significantly predicted past treatment (b = 0.30 SE = 0.12, χ2[1] = 6.44, p < .05, OR = 1.35), but not current or future treatment (ps > .05). Experiences of discrimination did not significantly predict self-reported treatment variables across all analyses (all ps > .05). Discussion The current study examined the associations between race, trauma, PEs, discrimination, and psychiatric treatment-seeking in college students with high levels of psychosis-like experiences. Self-reported PE scores and race were significantly associated with all treatment-seeking variables, while experiences of discrimination were not significantly associated with help-seeking. Results suggest race-related disparities in help-seeking patterns among college-educated youth and young adults. These findings have implications for engaging racial and ethnic minorities in mental health treatment who are experiencing psychosis-like symptoms to alleviate these symptoms and any associated functional impairments or distress.


2010 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-40 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shannon M. Kehle ◽  
Melissa A. Polusny ◽  
Maureen Murdoch ◽  
Christopher R. Erbes ◽  
Paul A. Arbisi ◽  
...  

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document