Factors that Affect Choice of Mental Health Provider and Receipt of Outpatient Mental Health Treatment

Author/Creator ORCID

Date

2017-10-26

Department

Program

Citation of Original Publication

Jones, Jenna M. et al.; Factors that Affect Choice of Mental Health Provider and Receipt of Outpatient Mental Health Treatment; The Journal of Behavioral Health Services & Research, volume 45, pages 614–626, 26 October, 2017; https://doi.org/10.1007/s11414-017-9575-6

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Public Domain Mark 1.0
This work was written as part of one of the author's official duties as an Employee of the United States Government and is therefore a work of the United States Government. In accordance with 17 U.S.C. 105, no copyright protection is available for such works under U.S. Law.

Subjects

Abstract

According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, 91 million adults live in mental health professional shortage areas and 10 million individuals have serious mental illness (SMI). This study examines how the supply of psychiatrists, severity of mental illness, out-of-pocket costs, and health insurance type influence patients’ decisions to receive treatment and the type of provider chosen. Analyses using 2012–2013 MarketScan Commercial Claims data showed that patients residing in an area with few psychiatrists per capita had a higher predicted probability of not receiving follow-up care (46.4%) compared with patients residing in an area with more psychiatrists per capita (42.5%), and those in low-psychiatrist-supply areas had a higher predicted probability of receiving prescription medication only (10.2 vs 7.6%). Patients with SMI were more likely than those without SMI to obtain treatment. A $25 increase in out-of-pocket costs had marginal impact on patients’ treatment choices.