A recently released federal report offers a snapshot of the psychological health of Americans. The survey shows that nearly one in five adults in the United States have experienced mental illness in the past year and that women and young adults are more likely than others to suffer from such health conditions.
The findings were compiled as part of the 2011 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Mental Health Findings conducted annually by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). According to a release, the survey showed:
- The rate of mental illness was more than twice as high among those aged 18 to 25 (29.8 percent) than among those aged 50 and older (14.3 percent)
- Women were more likely than men to have had mental illness in the past year (23.0 percent versus 15.9 percent)
- Adults who had mental illness in the past year were more than three times as likely to have met the criteria for substance dependence or abuse in that period than those who had not experienced mental illness in the past year (17.5 percent versus 5.8 percent)
One of the more eye-opening findings was the lack of care among many who were managing mental-health issues. The report showed only 38.2 percent of adults with mental illness received services during the period.
Previously: How gender differences shape attitudes toward depression, Breaking the silence about depression among men, Gender differences and mental health and Why are women more likely to need mental-health help?
Photo by Muhammad Taslim Razin
