North Carolina Ranks 27th in Study on Depression Status Across the Nation

North Carolina Ranks 27th in Study on Depression Status Across the Nation



First-of-Its-Kind Analysis Links Greater Access to Mental Health Treatments and Services to Better Depression Outcomes



Raleigh, North Carolina (November 29, 2007) – Depression is a chronic illness that exacts a significant toll on America's health and productivity. It affects more than 21 million American children and adults annually and is the leading cause of disability in the United States for individuals ages 15 to 44. According to Ranking America’s Mental Health: An Analysis of Depression Across the State, North Carolina ranked 27th in a first-of-its-kind report by Mental Health America that analyzed rates of depression and suicide among all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The study found that of North Carolina’s adult population, 7.65 percent experienced major depressive episode in the past year and 11.93 percent experienced serious psychological distress. On average, North Carolina reported 3.39 poor mental health days per month.



“This report provides an opportunity for North Carolina leaders to examine its citizens’ depression status and begin to allocate resources to improve North Carolina’s mental health,” said John Tote, MHA/NC Executive Director. “North Carolina can and should provide better treatment and services for our citizens suffering from this chronic illness. Depression is common, real and as the Ranking America’s Mental Health Report shows, it is treatable with adequate resources. Reducing depression in North Carolina should be a top priority.”



South Dakota ranked first as the healthiest state with respect to depression status. Following South Dakota were Hawaii, Iowa, Louisiana and Minnesota. Utah was ranked last, with the highest depression levels, preceded by West Virginia, Rhode Island, Kentucky and Nevada.



Ranking America’s Mental Health provides insight into each state’s depression status and suicide rate, enabling states to begin to address how to properly allocate resources to improve its population’s mental health.



Mental Health America found the following factors to be statistically significantly associated with better depression status and lower suicide rates:



· Mental health resources – On average, the higher the number of psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers per capita in a state, the lower the suicide rate.

· Barriers to treatment – The lower the percentage of the population reporting that they could not obtain healthcare because of costs, the lower the suicide rate and the better the state’s depression status. In addition, the lower the percentage of the population that reported unmet mental healthcare needs, the better the state’s depression status.

· Mental health treatment utilization – Holding the baseline level of depression in the state constant, the higher the percentage of the population receiving mental health treatment, the lower the suicide rate.

· Socioeconomic characteristics – The more educated the population and the greater the percentage with health insurance, the lower the suicide rate. The more educated the population, the better the state’s depression status.



“The findings of this study underscore the need to develop a public mental health surveillance system to monitor the mental health of Americans by examining depression and the states policies that may impact it,” said Dr. David Shern, president and CEO, Mental Health America. “Only with regular and ongoing measurement of key indicators of depression will we be able to understand how public policies impact a population’s depression level and suicide rate – and adjust these policies to benefit the millions of American affected by depression.”



To achieve top ranking in the country, South Dakota yielded the best results for the four measures used to develop a composite depression status indicator. Among adults, 7.31 percent experienced a major depressive episode in the past year and 11.6 percent experienced serious psychological distress. Among adolescents, 7.4 percent had a major depressive episode in the past year. On average, South Dakotans reported 2.41 poor mental health days per month.



Despite the fact that some states do better than others on rates of depression and suicide, no state can be satisfied with its current status. These rates can be driven lower with state policies designed to improve coverage, ending discriminatory practices in insurance, and assuring that qualified mental health professionals are available to serve everyone in need.”



For a complete ranking of all 50 states, visit www.mentalhealthamerica.net.