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Mental health treatment is often underutilized, with patients reluctant to seek these services and insurers reluctant to pay for them. Estimates from a 2001-2003 survey found that about 30% of adults suffered from a mental disorder during the year, yet only one-third of them received treatment.1 Poverty level also has an impact on the mental health status of all Americans. In 2005, adults living below the poverty level were five times more likely to have serious psychological distress as compared to adults over twice the poverty level.2 In general, minorities have less access to, and less availability of mental health services.3 From 2004-2005, mental illness was the second most frequent condition, after arthritis, causing activity limitation among adults.4Quick Facts
- The death rate from suicide for African American men five times that for African American women, in 2005.
- African Americans are 30% more likely to report having serious psychological distress than Non-Hispanic Whites.
- Older Asian American women have the highest suicide rate of all women over age 65 in the United States.
- Suicide attempts for Hispanic girls, grades 9-12, were 60% higher than for White girls in the same age group, in 2005.
- While the overall death rate from suicide for American Indian/Alaska Natives is comparable to the White population, adolescent American Indian/Alaska Natives have death rates two to three times the rate for Whites in the same age groups.
For statistics on African Americans and Mental Health, please click here.
For statistics on American Indians/Alaska Natives and Mental Health, please click here.
For statistics on Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders and Mental Health, please click here.
For statistics on Hispanic Americans and Mental Health, please click here.
1CDC, 2007. Health United States, 2007, page 9.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus07.pdf[PDF, 475KB]
2CDC, 2007. Health United States, 2007, page 10.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus07.pdf[PDF, 475KB]
3Mental Health: Culture, Race, Ethnicity, Supplement to Mental Health: Report of the Surgeon General, 2001.
http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/cre/default.asp
4CDC, 2007. Health United States, 2007, figure 15, page 45.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus07.pdf[PDF, 475KB]
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Last Modified: 08/04/2008 09:28:00 AM