Holiday Blues and Stress: A look at mental health in SEPA
Tuesday. December 18, 2007

Axler, Francine
(215) 985-2521
francine@phmc.org

PHILADELPHIA-- The holiday season can be a time full of joy, cheer, parties and family gatherings. But it also is a time when fighting through crowds, financial worries, social obligations and memories of loved ones can create heightened stress, depression and anxiety.

“While it is easy to get caught up in the seasonal frenzy, it’s important that people pay attention to, and take care of, their mental health as they celebrate,” says Francine Axler, senior research associate at PHMC.  “Nearly a half million adults in the Southeastern Pennsylvania (SEPA) region have been diagnosed with a mental illness, and these individuals may be more vulnerable to stress-induced conditions such as anxiety and depression during and after the holidays,” she adds.

According to PHMC’s Community Health Data Base 2006 Southeastern Pennsylvania Household Health Survey, approximately 13.7% of adults in the region 18 years and older have a diagnosed mental health condition, representing just over 400,000 adults in the region. These conditions include clinical depression, anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Nationally, the U.S. Census estimates that approximately one-quarter of adults have a mental health issue, representing more than 57.7 million people.

Who has a mental illness in SEPA?
Like most other health conditions, certain populations in SEPA are more or less likely to have a diagnosed mental illness than others. The survey found that:

§  Women are more likely to have a diagnosed mental health condition compared with men (16.4% and 10.5%, respectively).
§  Latino (14.3%) and white (14.2%) adults are more likely to have a diagnosed mental health condition than are Asian (2.5%) and African-American (11.9%) adults.
§  Younger and middle-age adults, ages 18-59 years, are more likely to have been diagnosed with a mental health condition than older adults (15.2% and 9.1%, respectively). 
§  More than one out of five poor adults have been diagnosed with a mental health condition (22.5%) compared to 12.7% of adults above the federal poverty line.
§  Adults in poor or fair physical health (22.5%) are twice as likely to have a diagnosed mental health condition compared to adults who report being in excellent or good physical health (11%).

Getting treatment is key.
"Holidays are a stressful time of the year. Those with diagnosed mental health or substance abuse problems should be sure to seek treatment from a behavioral health professional if they are having a difficult time, so that they can enjoy a safe, healthy holiday season", says Randy Baird, LSW, CCDP-D, behavioral health consultant at WestHaven, Inc., a long-term structured residence for adults with mental illnesses operated by PHMC.

In SEPA, almost six out of ten adults (58.3%) who have a diagnosed mental health condition receive treatment for their mental health condition. In particular:

·  Women are more likely to receive treatment for a mental health condition than are men (59.8% and 55.5% respectively).
·  Latino (63.7%) and white (60%) adults with a diagnosed mental health condition are more likely to receive treatment compared with African-American (50%) adults. 
·  Middle-age adults ages 40-59 years are more likely to receive treatment for a diagnosed mental health condition (63.9%) than are younger adults ages 18-39 (52.5%) and adults 60+ years (55.2%).
·  Poor adults are more likely to receive treatment compared to adults above the federal poverty line (61.5% and 57.6%, respectively).

Mental health conditions can affect anyone--from the very young to the very old--at anytime during the year. When left untreated, mental illness can lead to diminished function, substance abuse, poor quality of life and increased mortality.  To learn more about the prevalence of mental health conditions among residents of Southeastern Pennsylvania, visit www.phmc.org/chdb or contact Francine Axler at (215) 985-2521 or francine@phmc.org.

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