Economic predictors of mental health service utilization: A time-series analysis |
| |
Authors: | Michael Kiernan Paul A. Toro Julian Rappaport Edward Seidman |
| |
Affiliation: | (1) Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Gilmer Hall, 22903-2477 Charlottesville, Virginia;(2) State University of New York, Buffalo;(3) University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign;(4) New York University, New York |
| |
Abstract: | This research was designed to understand the relationships between economic indicators and mental health service utilization. Six monthly and three quarterly time-series analyses were done to assess the time-dependent association between three state-level economic indices and two measures of mental health service utilization. Consistent with the existing literature, increases in manufacturing employment were inversely related to both first admissions in state hospitals and case openings in community outpatient facilities. Labor force participation was also inversely related to first admissions to state hospitals. No relationship was found between service employment and either of the mental health service use indices. The specific findings suggest that two processes may be operating in the relationship of labor force participation and manufacturing employment with mental health service utilization. Some of the findings suggest a "crisis" process, in which service use increases rapidly following an economic stressor, whereas other findings suggest a more insidious process, in which economic stressors slowly weaken the mental health of the community and eventually lead to increased mental health service use. These results can be used to better inform social policy and preventive interventions by highlighting the human costs of changes in economic well-being. The need for more ecological research is discussed. |
| |
Keywords: | |
本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录! |
|