Mental distress and service utilization among help-seeking, community-dwelling older adults

Content Provider	Scilit
Author	Simning, Adam Richardson, Thomas M. Friedman, Bruce Boyle, Lisa L. Podgorski, Carol Conwell, Yeates
Copyright Year	2010
Description	Background: This study aimed to characterize healthcare and human services utilization among mentally distressed and non-distressed clients receiving in-home care management assessment by aging services provider network (ASPN) agencies in the U.S.A.Methods: A two-hour research interview was administered to 378 English-speaking ASPN clients aged 60+ years in Monroe County, NY. A modified Cornell Services Index measured service utilization for the 90 days prior to the ASPN assessment. Clients with clinically significant anxiety or depressive symptoms were considered distressed.Results: ASPN clients utilized a mean of 2.93 healthcare and 1.54 human services. The 42% of subjects who were distressed accessed more healthcare services (e.g. mental health, intensive medical services) and had more outpatient visits and days hospitalized than the non-distressed group. Contrary to expectations, distressed clients did not receive more human services. Among those who were distressed, over half had discussed their mental health with a medical professional in the past year, and half were currently taking a medication for their emotional state. A far smaller proportion had seen a mental health professional.Conclusions: In the U.S.A., aging services providers serve a population with high medical illness burden and medical service utilization. Many clients also suffer from anxiety and depression, which they often have discussed with a medical professional and for which they are receiving medications. Few, however, have seen a mental health specialist preceding intake by the ASPN agency. Optimal care for this vulnerable, service intensive group would integrate primary medical and mental healthcare with delivery of community-based social services for older adults.
Related Links	http://europepmc.org/articles/pmc2981582?pdf=render https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2981582/pdf https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/38265991CC14E08267C651F8E0D4BF1F/S104161021000058Xa.pdf/div-class-title-mental-distress-and-service-utilization-among-help-seeking-community-dwelling-older-adults-div.pdf
Ending Page	749
Page Count	11
Starting Page	739
ISSN	10416102
e-ISSN	1741203X
DOI	10.1017/s104161021000058x
Journal	International Psychogeriatrics
Issue Number	5
Volume Number	22
Language	English
Publisher	Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Publisher Date	2010-08-01
Access Restriction	Open
Subject Keyword	International Psychogeriatrics based Care and Services
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article
Subject	Gerontology Clinical Psychology Geriatrics and Gerontology Psychiatry and Mental Health