Even with a greater understanding of the symptoms of mental health conditions and more effective treatments available, doctors continue to under-diagnosis mental health conditions. According to the World Health Organization, doctors identify less than one-half of those who meet diagnostic criteria for psychological disorders, and only two in every five people experiencing a mood, anxiety or substance use disorder seek assistance in the year of the onset of the disorder.   Results from PHMC’s Community Health Data Base 2006 SEPA Household Health Survey show that approximately 13.7% of adults in SEPA 18 years of age and older have a diagnosed mental health condition, representing over 403,000 adults in the region.   Specifically:

-  Women are more likely to have a diagnosed mental health condition compared to men (16.4% vs. 10.5%, respectively).
-  Latino (14.3%) and white (14.2%) adults are more likely to have a mental health condition compared to Black/African-American (11.9%) adults.    Asian adults (2.5%) were least likely to report having a mental health condition.
-  Adults ages 40-59 years are slightly more likely to have been diagnosed with a mental health condition (15.9%) than adults ages 18-39 (14.4%)    and adults 60 years of age and older (9.1%). 
-  More than one out of five poor adults have been diagnosed with a mental health condition (22.5%) compared to 12.7% of non-poor adults.
   Adults in poor/fair health (22.5%) are more than twice as likely to have a diagnosed mental health condition compared to adults in    excellent/good (11%) health (see Figure 1).
-  Adults with a regular source of are (14.1%) are more likely to have a diagnosed mental health condition compared to adults without a regular    source of care (9.9%).

Receive Treatment For A Mental Health Problem

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

-  Women are more likely to receive treatment for a mental health condition compared to men (59.8% versus 55.5% respectively).
-  Latino (63.7%) and white (60%) adults with a diagnosed mental health condition are more likely to receive treatment compared to    Black/African-American (50%) adults. 
-  Adults ages 40-59 years are more likely to receive treatment for a diagnosed mental health condition (63.9%) than are adults ages 18-39    (52.5%) and adults 60 years of age and older (55.2%).
-  Poor adults are more likely to receive treatment compared to nonpoor adults (61.5% versus 57.6%, respectively).
-  Adults with a regular source of care (60.2%) and insured adults (61.6%) are more likely to receive treatment for their mental health condition    compared to adults without a regular source of care (33.6%) and uninsured adults (19.7%). 

Mental health conditions can affect anyone -- from the very young to the very old -- and it is important that research efforts continue to develop the means to a better understanding of the diagnosis and treatment of these conditions.  When left untreated, mental illness can lead to diminished functioning, substance abuse, poor quality of life and increased mortality.  Promising studies have shown that there are several factors that can be highly protective against developing mental illness and, in particular, depression.  These factors include: (1) having sufficient autonomy to exercise some control in response to severe events, (2) access to some material resources that allow the possibility of making choices in the face of severe events, and (3) psychological support from family, friends, or health providers.   For information regarding PHMC’s Community Health Data Base 2006 Household Health Survey, or to learn more about the prevalence of mental health conditions among residents of Southeastern Pennsylvania, contact Francine Axler, at (215) 985-2521 or francine@phmc.org.