Mental Health by the Numbers
Mental Health is important aspect of overall health. As we continue to struggle to support Utahns with mental illness, it is important to remember that mental illness causes ripples that spread to affect physical health, economic status, and social resources. Dr. Brock Chisholm, who was a psychiatrist and the first Director-General of the World Health Organization famously said, “Without mental health there can be no true physical health.” Yet, it is often easy to forget the scope and impact of mental illness on individuals and our populations.
In 2017, a study by Charles Roehrig found that mental disorders were among most costly conditions in the United States. This article was discussed in the Huffington Post here.
Further compounding the problem are difficulties with parity. Americans often have more difficulty getting treatment for mental illness than they do for other illnesses, even with insurance. Parity lows at federal and state levels have tried to remedy this situation, but the work has been slow. More information about parity can be found at paritytrack.org, including discussions of what parity is, and common parity violations.
Genine Babakian discussed the costs of healthcare in detail in a five part series of blog posts, the first of which can be found here.
The following information was compiled and written by Dr. Michael Kalm, a long-time member of our Utah psychiatric and medical communities.
1 in 5 U.S. adults experience mental illness each year
1 in 25 U.S. adults experience serious mental illness each year
1 in 6 U.S. youth aged 6-17 experience a mental health disorder each year
50% of all lifetime mental illness begins by age 14, and 75% by age 24
Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among people aged 10-34
You Are Not Alone
19.1% of U.S. adults experienced mental illness in 2018 (47.6 million people). This represents 1 in 5 adults.
4.6% of U.S. adults experienced serious mental illness in 2018 (11.4 million people). This represents 1 in 25 adults.
16.5% of U.S. youth aged 6-17 experienced a mental health disorder in 2016 (7.7 million people)
3.7% of U.S. adults experienced a co-occurring substance use disorder and mental illness in 2018 (9.2 million people)
Annual prevalence of mental illness among U.S. adults, by demographic group:
Annual prevalence among U.S. adults, by condition:
Major Depressive Episode: 7.2% (17.7 million people)
Schizophrenia: <1% (estimated 1.5 million people)
Bipolar Disorder: 2.8% (estimated 7 million people)
Anxiety Disorders: 19.1% (estimated 48 million people)
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: 3.6% (estimated 9 million people)
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: 1.2% (estimated 3 million people)
Borderline Personality Disorder: 1.4% (estimated 3.5 million people)
Mental Health Care Matters
43.3% of U.S. adults with mental illness received treatment in 2018
64.1% of U.S. adults with serious mental illness received treatment in 2018
50.6% of U.S. youth aged 6-17 with a mental health disorder received treatment in 2016
The average delay between onset of mental illness symptoms and treatment is 11 years
Annual treatment rates among U.S. adults with any mental illness, by demographic group:
11.3% of U.S. adults with mental illness had no insurance coverage in 2018
13.4% of U.S. adults with serious mental illness had no insurance coverage in 2018
60% of U.S. counties do not have a single practicing psychiatrist
The Ripple Effect Of Mental Illness
PERSON
People with depression have a 40% higher risk of developing cardiovascular and metabolic diseases than the general population. People with serious mental illness are nearly twice as likely to develop these conditions.
19.3% of U.S. adults with mental illness also experienced a substance use disorder in 2018 (9.2 million individuals)
The rate of unemployment is higher among U.S. adults who have mental illness (5.8%) compared to those who do not (3.6%)
High school students with significant symptoms of depression are more than twice as likely to drop out compared to their peers
FAMILY
At least 8.4 million people in the U.S. provide care to an adult with a mental or emotional health issue
Caregivers of adults with mental or emotional health issues spend an average of 32 hours per week providing unpaid care
COMMUNITY
Mental illness and substance use disorders are involved in 1 out of every 8 emergency department visits by a U.S. adult (estimated 12 million visits)
Mood disorders are the most common cause of hospitalization for all people in the U.S. under age 45 (after excluding hospitalization relating to pregnancy and birth)
Across the U.S. economy, serious mental illness causes $193.2 billion in lost earnings each year
20.1% of people experiencing homelessness in the U.S. have a serious mental health condition
37% of adults incarcerated in the state and federal prison system have a diagnosed mental illness
70.4% of youth in the juvenile justice system have a diagnosed mental illness
41% of Veteran’s Health Administration patients have a diagnosed mental illness or substance use disorder
WORLD
Depression and anxiety disorders cost the global economy $1 trillion in lost productivity each year
Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide
It’s Okay To Talk About Suicide
Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among people aged 10-34 in the U.S.
Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the U.S.
The overall suicide rate in the U.S. has increased by 31% since 2001
46% of people who die by suicide had a diagnosed mental health condition
90% of people who die by suicide had shown symptoms of a mental health condition, according to interviews with family, friends and medical professionals (also known as psychological autopsy)
Lesbian, gay and bisexual youth are 4x more likely to attempt suicide than straight youth
75% of people who die by suicide are male
Transgender adults are nearly 12x more likely to attempt suicide than the general population
Annual prevalence of serious thoughts of suicide, by U.S. demographic group:
If you have questions about a statistic or term that’s being used, please visit the original study by following the link provided.