Global Health Mental health is a serious global issue, the percentage of untreated, undertreated and unrecognized mental health issues are prevalent. “The World Health Organization states that mental illness is 12% of the global burden of disease,” (Ghesquiere, Pinto, Rahman, & Spector, 2016). The U.S. is one of the most developed countries in the world and the numbers for treating mental health issues are the same as some less modernized countries. Brazil, for example, is one of the countries attempting to treat mental illness with their Unified Brazilian Health System (SUS), (Fretonani, Pires de Pires, Biff, & Duarte dos Anjos Scherer, 2014). Impact on Health in Brazil Brazil has a health system which is free to all citizens regardless of income. The SUS administers the Family Health Strategy (FHS), …show more content…
to its’ citizens. This service is income based and can be problematic to obtain. ACA is mandatory but not all citizens comply. This can make it problematic to receive services for medical or mental issues. It is difficult to get into a physician who accepts certain types of ACA insurance, thus making getting treatment that much harder, ("ACA," 2015). In the U.S., mental health services are mostly provided by the patient’s (PCP), (Illes, Grace, Nino, & Ring, 2015). The PCP can easily become distracted by the medical problems of a patient and may not listen to the mental issues which are present. This can make receiving any care for mental illness an obstacle which many will not pursue, (Illes et al., 2015). Serious mental illness (SMI) among citizens 18 or older is at 4.2% in the U.S. Individuals with SMI will die 10 years earlier than the general population. “Suicide in U.S. is 40,600 which is twice the annual rate of AIDS or homicide. Mental illness is the third costliest medical condition in terms of overall health care expenditure,” ("NIMH," 2015). Ethical
From there, the article talks about how mental illness is a global problem and how societies all over the world see it as a burden. Because of this, mental illnesses have become a chronic disease, especially in the United States; this because nothing is being done to help those affected. The article has a focus on creating strategies to help resolve or improve the problems there are with mental illness. The author looks at past resolutions and asks people who are actually going through this themselves in order to better understand what society can do to help alleviate some of the pain and
Over 40 million Americans have been diagnosed with at least one mental illness (NIMH 2015), and 43,000 Americans commit suicide every year (NIMH 2014), with most of those deaths deemed preventable (Mann et. al 2005).
The CDC reported only 20% of US adults went to a mental health provider in the past year. The other 80% were too ashamed and embarrassed to be associated with getting help. Society has shaped an image of the perfect person, and people with mental illnesses don’t believe that they fit that mold, because of this, they aren’t willing to seek help and instead turn to dangerous coping methods. Some of these coping methods include, smoking, drinking, drug use, binge eating, cutting, and possible suicide. These methods can cause chronic disease and premature death. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, those living with serious mental illness die an average of 25 years earlier than the general public, primarily due to treatable conditions. Due to the stigma of mental illness, people are treated wrongfully and are discriminated against, causing them to not get proper care. This discrimination causes people to have unequal access to housing, healthcare, employment, education, and community support, and can lead to unemployment, homelessness, and poverty. With all of these unfair and unjust barriers, it’s not hard to figure out why people wait so long to get diagnosed.
Mental health disorders are a problem not only American’s face. It is a worldwide problem that today we still are unclear of what causes these disorders. “Mental health can be defined as a person’s condition with regard to their psychological and emotional well being” (Oxford Dictionaries, 2016). Mental health disorder can affect children all the way to the elderly. Stigma and discrimination can add to the suffering for mental health patients. It often leads to potential clients turn away and never find help because of the labels people put on
The mental health care needs of many children and adults have been overlooked for quite some time. Nearly one in five adults experience a mental health issue at some point throughout their lives, yet due to the challenges in accessing and obtaining affordable health care, many have gone without adequate treatment (Mental health by the numbers, 2015). According to SAMSHA (2013), 2/3 of America’s 45 million adults suffering from mental illnesses, and 90% of our country’s 21 million adults struggling with substance use disorders go without treatment each year (SAMSHA, 2013).
Because the Universal health care system in Brazil is free to all citizens those in poverty are not burdened with debt due to unavoidable illnesses therefore socioeconomic disparities are avoided as well. The current health status of citizens in Brazil can be classified as improving. The life expectancy has been increasing as well as decreasing rates in infant death
With 33 million Americans utilizing healthcare services as a means to manage mental health conditions and illnesses, adequate delivery of mental healthcare, treatment, and practice is becoming increasingly more important in the American landscape of wellness (SAMHSA, 2004a). The mental health system continues to be a challenging area of healthcare, due to: increased usage of coercion into treatment, diversity in care delivery systems, an unevolved quality measurement mechanism, and a drastically different business and marketplace infrastructure. These factors added to the, already, present stigma associated with mental health, culminates into an extremely
Statistical data reveal that 25% of adult Americans have a mental illness, and more than half of the U.S. population will develop a mental illness at some point during their lifetime (CDC; APA). "Major Depressive disorder is a leading cause of disability for ages 15-44. Major depressive disorder affects approximately 14.8 million American adults, or 6.7 percent of the U.S. population age 18 and older in a given year” while anxiety disorder affects …40 million…adults ages 18 and older…” (NIMH; APA). Comparatively, cardiovascular, diabetes, epilepsy, obesity, cancer, and asthma, and other chronic diseases are surfacing with increased frequency among the mentally ill (CDC; APA). The aforementioned finding elicits question about medical
On any given day approximately fifty percent of individual’s, or 3.5 million people, with severe psychiatric disorders go untreated. In 2013, many of those became part of the more than forty-one thousand suicides in our country. These individuals may also have been the patients who were told on a daily basis, to wait thirty days to six months to see a psychiatrist. The numbers of diagnosed mental illnesses have rapidly increased in the past thirty years but yet the numbers of mental health providers have not been able to keep up with that drastic increase. While it is unclear if there is correlation with the increased recognition of mental illnesses and the number of diagnosed illnesses, it is clear to the Center for Disease Control and
Mental illness refers to all diagnosable mental disorders defined as “health conditions that are characterized by alterations in thinking, mood or behavior (or some combination thereof) associated with distress and/or impaired functioning.” (Williams & Torrens, 2008, p. 221) With one in every five American adults experiencing mental illness, the resulting economic burden exceeds $300 billion per year to include approximately $100 billion in direct health care expenditures, $24 billion in disability benefits, and $193 billion in lost earnings. (Insel, 2008) This estimate is conservative as it excludes the components of incarceration, homelessness, comorbid conditions, early mortality and the incalculable costs to families that absorb much of the financial and emotional burdens of these illnesses. Despite the fact mental illness contributes over 6% to the nation’s health care spending; the United States (U.S.) mental health system has historically lacked integration with physical medicine and public policy support. (Insel, 2008)
The Affordable Care Act created a paradigm shift for public health in the US. Government in communities across the country have made significant progress in combating AIDS, preventing cancer, reducing tobacco use, and increasing vaccinations. However, one issue remains sorely overlooked, the state of mental health in the US. According to the National Institute of Mental Health 43.7 million Americans have a mental illness in any given year and only a third of those with a mental illness receive care. Although, the Affordable Care Act increased financial access to mental healthcare, many barriers still exist. Data from the Department of Health and Human Services shows that 55% of US counties lack a single mental health professional. Stigmas and attitudes towards mental health issues prevent people from pursuing help, as 71% of individuals in a Psychiatric Services study believed they could solve their mental health issues on their own. The American Journal of Psychiatry goes on to point out that all of these factors cost the US $193.2 billion in lost earnings per
With the advancement of health care around the world mental health has made great strides toward improvement. Even with these great improvements, many countries differ in their mental health practices. Whether it be for economic reasons, cultural reasons or demographics, the practices in each country varies. Three modern day countries that follow different mental health practices, including treatment, diagnosis, and prevalence of disorders, are Germany, Syria, and the United States.
Mental illness is considered to be an epidademic effecting approximately 42.5 million people in America alone (NAMI, n.d). Accessibility to mental health services is considered the worst in comparison to any other medical healthcare need( Kliff,S, 2012).Those who suffer from mental health issues not only have to deal with the stigma of the disease but discrimination as well which is why it is imperative the issue must gain a larger
Millions of Americans are impacted by mental health each year. Mental illnesses can impact one’s employment, physical health, education, and relationships. Many treatment services are available, yet people do not seek the care they need. Serious mental illness costs America $193.2 billion in lost earnings each year (NAMI, 2017). Mood disorders are the third most common cause for hospitalization for ages 18-44. Adults living with a serious mental illness, on average die twenty-five years earlier compared to others, but they could have been treated. It is obvious there is a problem in America regarding mental health, but it used to be much worse.
Brazil’s public health care system is not widespread which calls for major health concerns to the society. The need for improved health care is vital throughout the country of Brazil. 60% of the population uses the public health care system however it is basic shots and emergency visits, there is also a shortage of doctors, nurses and hospitals in areas of low population.