Disparities in the Treatment of Medical Diseases in the Mentally Ill Patients who are diagnosed with a mental illness, particularly a serious mental illness, are at risk for disparities in treatment of other medical, non-psychiatric, conditions (Li, et al., 2011). Thornicroft, Rose, & Hassam (2007) stated that much of the general population has a certain ignorance regarding mental illness and tend to make judgments against those who have been diagnosed with mental illness. A social stigma has been placed on those individuals who have been diagnosed with a mental illness, particularly a serious mental illness, which has been defined as those that fall on the schizophrenia spectrum or some type of mood disorder classified as bipolar disorder or major depressive disorder (Mitchell, Malone, & Doebbeling, 2009). It is the opinion of this author that the carry over of this stigma has extended to health care and the way that mentally ill patients are treated in various clinical settings. Further, this author believes that those with a documented mental illness do not receive the same quality of care that those without a documented mental illness do. Mitchell, et al. (2009) report that mentally ill patients who enter a clinical setting with comorbidities such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or cancer are receiving lower quality of care than those who are mentally …show more content…
(2009), state that patients who are mentally ill also have some type of medical illness in over 50% of the cases. These patients are not receiving the same quality of care that those who are not mentally ill are receiving. Quality of health care is defined by the National Quality Measures Clearinghouse as, “the degree to which health care services for individuals and populations increase the likelihood of desired health outcomes and are consistent with current professional knowledge” (Lohr, as cited by Mitchell, et al., 2009, p. 491). Care of Cardiovascular Issues in the Mentally
Health Care Service Corporation. Serious Vs. Non-Serious Mental Illness. 10 August 2013. blueaccess. Web-site. 9 November 2013. .
Mental healthcare has a long and murky past in the United States. In the early 1900s, patients could live in institutions for many years. The treatments and conditions were, at times, inhumane. Legislation in the 1980s and 1990s created programs to protect this vulnerable population from abuse and discrimination. In the last 20 years, mental health advocacy groups and legislators have made gains in bringing attention to the disparity between physical and mental health programs. However, diagnosis and treatment of mental illnesses continues to be less than optimal. Mental health disparities continue to exist in all areas of the world.
Diabetes Programs: The Scripps Whittier Diabetes Institute Experience. Curr Diab Rep Current Diabetes Reports, 14(2). Doi:10.1007/s11892-013-0462-0
Health care inequality has long been customary in the United States. Those in lower classes have higher morbidity, higher mortality, higher infant mortality, and higher disability. Millions of low-income families and individuals have gone with out the care they need simply because they cannot afford it. Denial of benefits due to pre-existing conditions, outrageous deductibles, and unreasonable prescription prices are in large part why the low-income class suffers. In addition, not receiving preventative health care, lack of access to exercise equipment and lack of availability to fresh foods all create health problems that become to expensive to fix. Low-income families need to have better, more affordable access to health care, specifically preventative health care, and be more educated about the benefits of health care in order to narrow the gap of inequality. The new Affordable Care Act under the Obama administration expands heath care coverage to many low income families and individuals by lowering the eligibility requirements for Medicaid, although it is not mandatory for individual states to make this expansion for Medicaid coverage.(CITE) It also requires that preventative health care be included in coverage by insurance companies. So with all the benefits the expansion of Medicaid could offer, why would some states choose not to offer it?
Mental health issues are pervasive in todays society. Individuals diagnosed with severe mental illnesses, such as bipolar disorder, have a diminished wellbeing due to the stressors associated with their illness. Whether these psychosocial aggravations are an internalized manifestation of poor self esteem, societal renunciation, or subjective distress, it is evident that mental illness is a stigma on the individual dealing with the disorder, as well as a strain on societal resources. While reliance on psychotropic medications and psychosocial interventions have traditionally been a common treatment plan, many argue that the overuse and inappropriate prescription of drugs in the treatment of mental heath is creating a larger problem than
Wang, Philip S., Olga Demler, and Ronald C. Kessler. "Adequacy of Treatment for Serious Mental Illness in the United States." American Journal of Public Health 92.1 (2002): 92-98. Print.
Americans are paying more, but getting less for health insurance: Should quality healthcare be available to only those that have the money to purchase it? According to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality there are some disparities in quality healthcare based on race and ethnicity.
Each year, 52 million Americans have some form of mental health problem and out of those patients 60% are members of a managed care group. (Madonna, 2000, ¶ 8) Managed mental health care’s successes and failures now bear directly on the mental wellbeing of 32 million particularly vulnerable Americans. Initially managed care was intended to be a “comprehensive approach to healthcare that included balancing cost, quality, utilization, and access.” (Madonna, 2000, ¶ 23) In theory, this is an optimal approach to the delivery of health care and it has proven somewhat successful in the area of physical health, but it has not provided the same success in the area of mental health. Mental health is still being treated as a separate and less important aspect of health care despite the fact that some mental health disorders, such as schizophrenia, have shown higher success rates than those of common medical procedure, such as angioplasty. (Etheredge, 2002, ¶ 6)
The TED Talk referenced in this paper made some great points regarding health care for those who have mental health illnesses and how the life expectancy gap can be around 20 years less for those who suffer from a mental health disorder (Patel, 2016). Quality of Life (QOL) and the Disability-Adjusted Life Year (DALY) are two things that classify burden of disease for those who suffer from illnesses, and not just mental health illnesses but also from medical disorders such as pneumonia. The main point of Patel’s TED talk was that the vast majority of those who need care do not receive it and the shortage of mental health professionals around the world has become a problem, and his solution to this is appointing lay counselors who are trained
In the perspective of healthcare, disparities denotes the substantial differences between populations or groups in relation to prevalence, incidence, mortality and morbidity rates. The prospective elucidation for health disparities ranges from dissimilarities in environmental and societal issues that impacts patients’ trust, likings, awareness or self-efficacy, to cultural variances between patients and providers, communication obstacles and possibly, discrimination. These factors can lead to differences in the quality of and access to health care and genetic factors as well deliberated in the circumstance of ethnic or racial disparities. Ethnic and racial minorities and individuals with disabilities are few of the numerous populations influenced by health disparities and this can be engrained in further features such as sexual orientation, gender individuality and discrimination.
Equality and diversity by Irwin Wendy address the need for equality in healthcare professions and how it affects the individual. Equality and diversity plays a huge role between patients, families and other healthcare professionals. It takes a unique look distinctive when analysing the support needs of patients in terms of equal opportunities as well as their choices and preferences as the National health service opens to a wide range of people to access the services .
There are many ways in which the mentally ill are degraded and shamed. Most commonly, people are stated to be “depressed” rather than someone who “has depression”. It is a common perception that mental illnesses are not a priority when it comes to Government spending just as it is forgotten that most mental health disorders can be treated and lead a normal life if treatment is successful. The effect of this makes a sufferer feels embarrassed and feel dehumanized. A common perception is that they should be feared or looked down upon for something they have not caused. People experience stigma as a barrier that can affect nearly every aspect of life—limiting opportunities for employment, housing and education, causing the loss of family ...
In the United States is Health Care Equally Distributed? The Health Care Industry is one of the largest Social Institutions, made to ensure a communities wellbeing. The issue at hand, Health Care distribution is directly correlated to one’s income. In most cases Health care is often not distributed to those who need it but cannot afford it, and is to those who can afford it and may not need it. Health Care equality can be related to both Conflict and Functionalist Theories.
The NSDUH reports that individuals with a mental illness is more like to also have a chronic health condition and are more likely to use hospitalization and emergency room treatment (NSDUH, 2014). According to SAMSHA (n.d.), 50% of Medicaid enrollees have a diagnosable mental health condition. Individuals with a diagnosed mental health condition have health care cost that is 75% higher than those without a mental health diagnosis (SAMSHA, n.d.). For an individual with a co-occurring disorder the cast is nearly three times higher than what the average Medicaid
This article puts into perspective how those who are mentally ill lose their quality of life by becoming stigmatized by those surrounding them personally and in a broader sense. Their jobs, housing, health care, and affiliation with others is negatively impacted because of the stigma placed upon them because of their mental illness. This article continues to describe the stigmas that are placed upon the mentally ill by our Western culture. The authors state that mentally ill persons deal with being feared and excluded because of their mental state. They also deal with being viewed as irresponsible because of their mental diagnosis. Finally, they are seen as immature and childlike, thus requiring constant care to be put into place for them. Not only do these authors focus on public stigmas, but they also focus on how these cultural stigmas cause those who are mentally ill to begin to internally stigmatize themselves. This causes self-esteem issues; thus, this causes the individual to feel less worthy and less likely to succeed in his or her future in all areas of