Outpatient mental health service use by older adults after acute psychiatric hospitalization

Factors in Use of Mental Health Services by Older Adult Immigrants and Nonimmigrants

This study sought factors in older Americans' use of mental health services, via data from 8,877 older adults collected for the 2021 National Health Interview Survey. Logistic regression showed the individuals' likelihood of using mental health services was increased with having a mental health problem (depression or anxiety), being Hispanic, being other non-Black/Asian racial/ethnic minority, being relatively educated, having relatively high family income, being widowed/separated/divorced, being unmarried, and having Medicaid coverage. In turn, likelihood of using mental health services was declined with age and with birth outside the United States. In this study, no link was observed between services use and 10 factors: gender, Black, Asian, U.S. citizenship, employment status, private health insurance coverage, Medicare coverage, time in the United States, English-language proficiency, and psychological distress. Implications of the study's results include the need to broaden Medicaid eligibility, increase funding for community centers serving immigrants, and offer mental health care providers in-service training on aging adults' mental health needs and on various cultural beliefs involving mental health and its treatment.

Inpatient to outpatient care transition interventions for adults with mental health conditions: a scoping review protocol

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this scoping review is to provide an overview of the key characteristics of care transition interventions (CTIs) from inpatient to outpatient care for adults with mental disorders.

INTRODUCTION

Many patients with mental health disorders experience treatment discontinuation during the transition from inpatient to outpatient mental health care, which is associated with high rates of rehospitalization and/or suicidal behavior. CTIs provide low-threshold support to facilitate patients' access and adherence to outpatient treatment and ultimately, decrease rehospitalization rates.

INCLUSION CRITERIA

We will include quantitative and qualitative study designs as well as study protocols and systematic reviews on CTIs for adults with mental health disorders (except for neurocognitive disorders). The CTIs need to include the following features: (i) initial session still during inpatient treatment or within the first 4 weeks after treatment and (ii) at least 1 additional session after patient discharge. We will exclude (i) interventions aiming solely to improve symptom severity (eg, medication, psychotherapy), (ii) studies conducted in the context of forensic and/or prison mental health care and (iii) studies focusing primarily on return to work or the prevention of homelessness.

METHODS

We will search PubMed, CINAHL (EBSCOhost), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), PsycINFO (EBSCOhost), Web of Science, OpenGrey, and ProQuest Dissertations & Theses for potentially relevant records. Two independent reviewers will conduct the initial title/abstract screening and full-text screening. Data will be extracted in a draft charting table and presented in a narrative synthesis accompanied by graphic visualizations and tables, in line with the review questions.

REVIEW REGISTRATION

Open Science Framework 10.31234/osf.io/e9v7y.

Characterization of multilevel influences of mental health care transitions: a comparative case study analysis

PURPOSE

Mental health care transitions are increasingly prioritized given their potential to optimize care delivery and patient outcomes, especially those focused on the transition from inpatient to outpatient mental health care. However, limited efforts to date characterize such mental health transition practices, especially those spanning multiple service setting contexts. Examination of key influences of inpatient to outpatient mental health care transitions across care contexts is needed to inform ongoing and future efforts to improve mental health care transitions. The current work aims to characterize multilevel influences of mental health care transitions across three United States-based mental health system contexts.

METHODS

A comparative multiple case study design was used to characterize transition practices within the literature examining children's, non-VA adult, and VA adult service contexts. Andersen's (1995) Behavioral Health Service Use Model was applied to identify and characterize relevant distinct and common domains of focus in care transitions across systems.

RESULTS

Several key influences to mental health care transitions were identified spanning the environmental, individual, and health behavior domains, including: community capacity or availability, cross-system or agency collaboration, provider training and experience related to mental health care transitions, client care experience and expectations, and client clinical characteristics or complexity.

CONCLUSIONS

Synthesis illustrated several common factors across system contexts as well as unique factors for further consideration. Our findings inform key considerations and recommendations for ongoing and future efforts aiming to plan, expand, and better support mental health care transitions. These include timely information sharing, enhanced care coordination and cross setting and provider communication, continued provider/client education, and appropriate tailoring of services to improve mental health care transitions.

A Systematic Review of Barriers Faced by Older Adults in Seeking and Accessing Mental Health Care

Older adults in the United States have lower rates of mental health care utilization than young adults. To understand these lower rates of mental health care, we performed a systematic review, in accordance with PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines, of barriers that prevent older adults from seeking and accessing treatment. We searched PubMed, PsycINFO, and Clinical Key to identify studies of barriers to mental health treatment in the older adult population (in individuals 50 y of age and older). Thirty-two articles met inclusion criteria (English language and focused on barriers to care in older adults) and exclusion criteria (focus on non-United States populations, focus on younger adults, or no focus on barriers to care). We identified 5 categories of barriers to mental health care in older adults: (1) attitudes and knowledge among older adults; (2) comorbid medical conditions; (3) provider-related factors; (4) other extrinsic barriers (eg, cost, transportation, reliance on caregivers); and (5) unique factors that affect older adults in minority populations. Large studies have primarily identified intrinsic barriers, including negative attitudes toward mental health care and lack of perceived need for treatment, as preventing older adults from seeking mental health care. Minority populations have also been found to face cultural barriers and increased levels of stigma compared with non-Hispanic whites, although several of the identified articles concerning barriers among minority older adults involved qualitative studies with small samples. Larger quantitative studies may help clarify the relative importance of barriers affecting this population. Interventions that have been shown to increase access to mental health services for older adults include community-based care and integrated primary and psychiatric care, but these strategies can be difficult to implement in low-resource settings. More research is needed to determine which interventions and policies are most effective in targeting particular barriers.

Variation of Follow-Up Rate After Psychiatric Hospitalization of Medicare Beneficiaries by Hospital Characteristics and Social Determinants of Health

OBJECTIVE

Early follow-up after inpatient psychiatric hospitalization is a key part of the care transition process and has been found to reduce the risk of readmission and emergency department utilization. Our objective was to determine the extent to which hospital performance on measures of 7- and 30-day mental health follow-up after hospitalization for Medicare beneficiaries varies by hospital characteristics and hospital neighborhood socioeconomic characteristics.

METHODS

We linked 2015 hospital-level follow-up rates from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' Hospital Compare website to hospital characteristics obtained from the American Hospital Association Annual Survey and characteristics of the community within a 5-mile radius of the hospital obtained from the American Community Survey. Our population included 1,275 inpatient psychiatric facilities in 2015 in the United States. State fixed effects multivariate linear regression was used.

RESULTS

Hospital 30-day follow-up rates ranged from 16.00% to 95.00%, with an average of 55.80%. After controlling for hospital- and community-level factors, and applying state-level fixed effects, we found that psychiatric specialty hospitals, public hospitals, and minority-serving hospitals were associated with lower rates of mental health follow-up.

CONCLUSION

Hospitals have considerable opportunity to improve the quality of their transitional care processes and increase the percentage of Medicare patients receiving timely mental health follow-up after discharge. Policymakers should consider strengthening the incentives for hospital performance on these quality measures while working to improve the behavioral health infrastructure of minority communities.

Characteristics of Older Adults With Serious Mental Illness Enrolled in a Publicly Funded In-Home Mental Health Treatment Program

In-home mental health services for older adults will likely become increasingly utilized as the population ages. Little is known about older adults with serious mental illness who receive in-home services through the public mental health system. This study examined the demographic and clinical characteristics of this population. A total of 148 clients were included. Mood disorders were present in 75.7% and schizophrenia spectrum disorders were present in 23.6%. A history of problematic substance use was documented in 47.3% of clients and 31.8% reported suicidal ideation prior to enrollment. A total of 25% of clients utilized psychiatric emergency services during the year prior to enrollment and 15.5% of clients were hospitalized for psychiatric treatment. Older adults who receive in-home mental health services are vulnerable and have complex treatment needs.

Social support resources and post-acute recovery for older adults with major depression

This study assessed the relationships between older patients' social support resources and depressive symptoms and psychosocial functioning at 6 months following a psychiatric hospital discharge. The data used in this study were extracted from a prospective study titled "Service Use of Depressed Elders after Acute Care" (National Institute of Mental Health-56208). This sample included 148 older patients who participated in the initial and the 6-month follow-up assessment. Ordinary Least Squares regression (OLS) was used to examine important social support resources in relation to older patients' depressive symptoms and psychosocial functioning. A vast majority of patients were embedded in a social support network that consisted of acquaintances and confidants. Patients' depressive symptoms were related to availability of a confidant and the extent to which they spent time with others. However, patients' psychosocial functioning was not related to social support resources assessed in this study.

Mental health care Monitor Older adults (MEMO): monitoring patient characteristics and outcome in Dutch mental health services for older adults

Information on which older adults attend mental health care and whether they profit from the care they receive is important for policy-makers. To assess this information in daily practice, the "Mental health care Monitor Older adults" (MEMO) was developed in the Netherlands. The aim of this paper is to describe MEMO and the older adults who attend outpatient mental health care regarding their predisposing and enabling characteristics and need for care. In MEMO all patients referred to the division of old age psychiatry of the participating mental health care organisations are assessed at baseline and monitored at 4, 8 and 12-month follow-up. Primary outcomes are mental and social functioning, consumer satisfaction, and type of treatment provided (MEMO Basic). Over the years, MEMO Basic is repeated. In each cycle, additional information on specific patient groups is added (e.g. mood disorders). Data collection is supported by a web-based system for clinicians, including direct feedback to monitor patients throughout treatment. First results at baseline showed that the majority of patients that entered the division of old age psychiatry was female (69%), had low education (83%), lived alone (53%), was depressed (42%) and had a comorbid condition (82%). It seemed that older immigrants were not sufficiently reached. The current study is the first in the Netherlands to evaluate patient characteristics and outcome in mental health care provided for older adults in day-to-day practice. If MEMO works out successfully, the method should be extended to other target groups.

Research to reduce the suicide rate among older adults: methodology roadblocks and promising paradigms

The National Institute of Mental Health and the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention have requested input into the development of a national suicide research agenda. In response, a working group of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry has prepared recommendations to ensure that the suicide prevention dialogue includes older adults, a large and fast-growing population at high risk of suicide. In this Open Forum, the working group describes three methodology roadblocks to research into suicide prevention among elderly persons and three paradigms that might provide directions for future research into suicide prevention strategies for older adults.

Six-month longitudinal patterns of mental health treatment utilization by older adults with depressive symptoms

OBJECTIVE

Aims of the study were to describe behavioral health treatment utilization patterns of community-dwelling older adults with depressive symptoms over a six-month period and to identify factors associated with treatment use, guided by a theoretical model emphasizing the dynamic nature of treatment use patterns over time and social context.

METHODS

A total of 144 participants ≥65 years old with depressive symptoms completed an in-person baseline interview and six monthly telephone follow-up interviews. Outcomes at each follow-up included the use of antidepressants or counseling. Covariates included personal and social context variables.

RESULTS

Approximately half of the participants (N=70, 48%) received no formal treatment (antidepressant prescription or counseling). Treatment use or nonuse did not change for most participants. More participants with severe symptoms received antidepressants (25%-37%) than did those with milder symptoms (10%-14%), although more participants in the latter group started (milder, 62%,versus severe, 49%) and stopped (milder, 77%, versus severe, 26%) antidepressant treatment at least once. Fewer individuals received counseling overall, with no clear patterns by symptom severity. In multivariate longitudinal analyses, treatment use at follow-up was independently associated with younger age, current major depressive episode, baseline use of antidepressant, intention to begin a new treatment at baseline, and receipt of advice to seek treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Over a six-month period, most older adults with depressive symptoms in this study continued their use or nonuse of mental health treatment. Demographic, need, attitudinal, and social variables were related to treatment use over time. Addressing intentions and providing advice may facilitate treatment seeking.

Low use of mental health services among older Americans with mood and anxiety disorders

OBJECTIVE

It is unclear why late-life mood and anxiety disorders are highly undertreated, despite being common among older adults. Thus this study examined prevalence of and key factors associated with nonuse of mental health services among older community-dwelling adults with these disorders.

METHODS

The sample included 348 participants aged 55 years or older who met 12-month criteria for DSM-IV mood and anxiety disorders and responded to the National Comorbidity Survey Replication (NCS-R), a population-based probability sample. Analyses included frequency measures and logistic regression with weights and complex design-corrected statistical tests. Key factors associated with not using mental health services were determined in a final multivariable model based on a systematic approach that accounted for a comprehensive list of potential predictors.

RESULTS

Approximately 70% of older adults with mood and anxiety disorders did not use services. Those who were from racial-ethnic minority groups, were not comfortable with discussing personal problems, were married or cohabitating, and had middle- versus high-income status had increased odds of not using mental health services. In addition, respondents with mild versus serious disorders, no chronic pain complaints, and low versus high perceived cognitive impairment had greater odds of nonuse.

CONCLUSIONS

Results indicate that improvements are needed in the following areas to combat the very high number of mood and anxiety disorders that go untreated in older Americans: awareness of need, comfort in discussing personal problems with a health care professional, and screening and other prevention efforts.

Six-month longitudinal patterns of mental health treatment utilization by older adults with depressive symptoms

OBJECTIVE

Aims of the study were to describe behavioral health treatment utilization patterns of community-dwelling older adults with depressive symptoms over a six-month period and to identify factors associated with treatment use, guided by a theoretical model emphasizing the dynamic nature of treatment use patterns over time and social context.

METHODS

A total of 144 participants ≥65 years old with depressive symptoms completed an in-person baseline interview and six monthly telephone follow-up interviews. Outcomes at each follow-up included the use of antidepressants or counseling. Covariates included personal and social context variables.

RESULTS

Approximately half of the participants (N=70, 48%) received no formal treatment (antidepressant prescription or counseling). Treatment use or nonuse did not change for most participants. More participants with severe symptoms received antidepressants (25%-37%) than did those with milder symptoms (10%-14%), although more participants in the latter group started (milder, 62%,versus severe, 49%) and stopped (milder, 77%, versus severe, 26%) antidepressant treatment at least once. Fewer individuals received counseling overall, with no clear patterns by symptom severity. In multivariate longitudinal analyses, treatment use at follow-up was independently associated with younger age, current major depressive episode, baseline use of antidepressant, intention to begin a new treatment at baseline, and receipt of advice to seek treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Over a six-month period, most older adults with depressive symptoms in this study continued their use or nonuse of mental health treatment. Demographic, need, attitudinal, and social variables were related to treatment use over time. Addressing intentions and providing advice may facilitate treatment seeking.

Race and ethnicity and rural mental health treatment

OBJECTIVE

Research has shown that there is less use of mental health services in rural areas even when availability, accessibility, demographic, and need factors are controlled. This study examined mental health treatment disparities by determining treatment rates across different racial/ethnic groups.

METHODS

Data from the first four panels of the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) were used for these analyses. The sample consisted of 36,288 respondents yielding 75,347 person-year observations. The Economic Research Service's Rural-Urban Continuum was used as a measure of rurality.

RESULTS

Findings show that rural residence does little to contribute to existing treatment disparities for racial/ethnic minorities living in these areas.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings suggest that characteristics of the rural environment may disadvantage all residents with respect to mental health treatment. In more populated areas where mental health services are more plentiful, complex racial and service system factors may play a greater role in evident ethnic/racial treatment disparities.

Mental health service use among older African Americans: the National Survey of American Life

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this study was to examine mental health services utilization of older African Americans using data from the National Survey of American Life.

METHODS

A subsample of African American respondents aged 55 years or older (N = 837) was used for this study. Thirteen mental disorders, including mood, anxiety, and substance disorders, were assessed using the Diagnostic Statistical Manual-IV World Mental Health Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Seventy-four respondents (9.6%) met criteria for a disorder. Self-reported service use included psychiatric and nonpsychiatric mental health services, general medical care, and nonhealth care (e.g., human services and complementary-alternative medicine).

RESULTS

Overall, 46.5% (N = 30) of older African Americans with any one 12-month disorder used some form of services in the last year; 47.2% (N = 12) with two or more disorders used any services. Those reporting any mood disorder had higher service use in every sector compared with those with any anxiety or any substance disorder. Age was significantly related with each service sector except for nonhealth care. There were no significant gender or work status differences, and marital status was only significant in nonhealth care use. Those aged 55-64, married, and not residing in the south were more likely to report any service use than their respective counterparts.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings reveal that a significant proportion of African American older adults with mental health disorders do not receive professional help. Future research on system, provider, and patient factors is needed to clarify and explain underutilization of mental health services.

Evaluating a community-based participatory research project for elderly mental healthcare in rural America

The purpose of this evaluation was to explore the collaborative nature of partners in a rural mental health program for the elderly, and to test an adapted method of assessing the collaborative process. Sixteen collaborative partners were interviewed to explore ratings of collaboration across 6 domains identified as critical to participatory research. Results indicate that the context of rural Missouri and uniqueness of the program necessitated an approach to collaboration that began with a top-down approach, but greater community responsibility developed over time. Partners recognized the efforts of the program’s directors to seek input. Most were satisfied with their roles and the degree of success achieved by the program, although several wanted to have more input in the future in some domains, but not in others. Interviews revealed numerous barriers to achieving sustainability. Methods to improve the assessment of collaboration are discussed and areas for improvement are offered.

Rurality and mental health treatment

Diversity within rural areas renders rural-urban comparisons difficult. The association of mental health treatment rates with levels of rurality is investigated here using Rural-Urban Continuum Codes. Data from the 1996-1999 panels of the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey are aggregated to provide annual treatment rates for respondents reporting mental health problems. Data show that residents of the most rural areas receive less mental health treatment than those residing in metropolitan areas. The adjusted odds of receiving any mental health treatment are 47% higher for metropolitan residents than for those living in the most rural settings, and the adjusted odds for receiving specialized mental health treatment are 72% higher. Findings suggest rural community size and adjacency to metropolitan areas influence treatment rates.

Quality of care for depressed elders in post-acute care: variations in needs met through services

This paper addresses quality of post-acute care for older adults going home after hospitalization for depression. Quality was conceptualized and assessed in terms of services received for four domains of need: psychiatric, medical, functional, and psychosocial. At discharge, needs for care was assessed using medical records, standardized instruments, and patient interviews; quality of care was assessed by whether or not needs were met by services through the first 6 weeks of post-acute care. Quality of care varied across type of need: psychiatric needs were most likely, and psychosocial needs were least likely, to be met. Urban elders received better psychiatric care than did rural elders. Elders in worse physical health received better medical and psychosocial care, but poorer psychiatric care. Elders with psychoses and living with others had better care for functional dependencies. The competing demands perspective suggests that medical illness may take priority over psychiatric care.

Post-hospitalization transitional care needs of depressed elderly patients: models for improvement

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

In the weeks immediately following psychiatric hospital discharge, severely depressed elderly patients are at risk of 'falling through the cracks' in a complex health care system: becoming lost to follow-up, receiving inadequate care, or requiring prompt readmission. The purpose of this review is to highlight recent literature on the comorbid physical health problems and complex care needs of elderly patients hospitalized for depression. This paper will also review recent initiatives to improve the quality of care transitions for elderly patients discharged from medical hospitals that may be adaptable to a severely depressed population.

RECENT FINDINGS

Due to shorter hospital stays, comorbid physical health problems, and limitations in functional capacity, severely depressed elderly patients discharged from psychiatric hospitals have complex service needs, and numerous barriers to care, immediately following hospital discharge. There is a lack of research specifically addressing the transitional care needs of this population. Improvement interventions assigning transitional care providers to chronically medically ill elderly patients immediately after medical hospital discharge have shown decreased rates of rehospitalization and emergency services utilization, and appear to be cost-effective.

SUMMARY

Further research is needed to adapt successful transitional care interventions targeting chronically ill elderly patients in medical hospitals to severely depressed elderly patients being discharged from psychiatric hospitals.