Use of Mental Health Care by Community-Dwelling Older Adults

摘要: OBJECTIVES: To examine relationships between perceived need for care, illness characteristics, attitudes toward and probability that older adults will use mental health care (MHC). DESIGN: Secondary data analysis. SETTING: The Collaborative Psychiatric Epidemiology Surveys (2001–2003). PARTICIPANTS: One thousand six hundred eighty-one community-dwelling aged 65 older. MEASUREMENTS: Self-reported MHC in the previous 12 months, year history of illness, physical sociodemographic characteristics. RESULTS: Of entire sample, 6.5% had received some type year, although 65.9% those with major depressive disorder (MDD) 72.5% anxiety did not receive MHC. In respondents previous-year depression or anxiety, was less likely low World Health Organization Disability Assessment Scale (WHO-DAS) self-care ability. Use more chronic conditions worse WHO-DAS cognitive capacity. Seventeen percent it. need, subthreshold generalized associated lower likelihood use. household members, at least a high school education, better Forty-one who but it met diagnostic criteria 17% MDD. CONCLUSION: Understanding perceptions underlie individuals' care–seeking behavior is an important step reducing underuse by adults.