In working in health care I have spent a great deal of time exploring various areas of the field. Two health indicators that I have been drawn to specifically is “Health Service Coverage” and “Mental Health and Substance Abuse”. These two indicator touches on a variety of issues such as why are there so many people falling through the cracks when it comes to obtaining medical coverage, and why is mental and substance abuse issues always placed on the back burner when it comes to getting people the proper help that they deserve. Working within the Public health sector these are issues that need to be advocated for so that people can have access to living a healthier life and can benefit from the quality of life around the globe. Health Service …show more content…
In life, no one ever anticipates being sick or suffering from illness associated with mental health or substance abuse. The purpose is to promote healthy living and encourage preventative care in areas such as prenatal care, immunization, and infectious diseases in adults. Coverage indicators are typically calculated by dividing the number of people receiving a defined intervention by the population eligible for or in need of the intervention (World Health Organization, 2009). Mental health and substance abuse is also an indicator that poses as a very prevalent issue in societies today. Those who suffer from mental and substance abuse usually shares some underlying causes, including changes in brain composition, genetic vulnerabilities, and early exposure to stress or trauma (Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders, n.d.). Substance abuse is often times associated with either drugs or alcohol, which can lead to spiraling social or economic issues such as financial problems, domestic violence, child abuse, and eventually graduating into committing …show more content…
Accessibility is a major area of concern because while other countries embrace universal health care at low cost the U.S. see health care as a cash cow with the cost of health care constantly increasing. The U.S has the most expensive healthcare system in the world, but yet and still the quality of service that people receive is often time less than stellar. Also, another reason why the U.S. has such low rankings is because of equality. In the U.S people who are considered as having low income do not go to the doctor which results in them not partaking in wellness visit, nor receiving proper medications to combat their illness. Whereas in other countries they do visit the doctor regularly despite their economic status (Mirror, Mirror on the Wall,2014). Moving on to mental health and substance abuse The global burden of Neuropsychiatry diseases and related mental health conditions are enormous, underappreciated and under-resourced, particularly in the developing nations (Ngui, 2010). Mental health and the issues that revolve around the disease are still very much taboo than in the U.S. which makes for accurate diagnosis and treating the disease very tough. With the stigma and discrimination surrounding the disease is some countries such as
Co-occurring disorders is a term that can be very broad and can describe different conditions that happen or occur at the same time. For the purpose of this essay and from the mental health perspective co-occurring disorders refer to someone who has a substance use disorder such as alcohol or drugs, and also has a mental disorder such as depression or any other mental illness. According to a study conducted in 2014 by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) adults 18 and over who were surveyed reported having a substance use and/or mental illness. “Of these, 7.9 million people had both a mental disorder and substance use disorder” (SAMHSA, 2016). This essay will provide general history information about co-occurring disorders, how the term came about, treatment integration and the quadrants, as well as a personal view on the use of the co-occurring term.
Fortinash, K. M., & Holoday Worret, P. A. (Eds.). (2012). Substance-related disorders and addictive behaviors. Psychiatric mental health nursing (5th ed., pp. 319-362). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier Mosby.
The Addition Severity Index is a well-known and widely used tool for use in treating alcoholics and other addicts. It is an approximately 45 to 60 minute long interview comprised of questions about the patient’s life. The interview covers eight subscales focusing on many different parts of a person’s life which helps to provide a comprehensive understanding of their life. The severity is scored on a ten point scale ranging from no problem or treatment indicated to extreme problem, treatment absolutely necessary. The scale helps the interviewer determine the seriousness of a client’s problem and to plan an effective course of treatment. The ASI can also be found in a self-administered paper-and-pencil form and an interactive CD-ROM multimedia version for the computer (Maleka, 2004). This test has been found to be reliable by most but some others do not agree. It is difficult to say whether or not the test is a reliable and valid measure of treatment due to the complexity of the questions. Once a client’s psychosocial needs are identified it is easier to find treatment suitable for that client. There are some problems with the test such as it is not properly designed to cover such a wide population (Maleka, 2004). Other problems include irrelevant questions for alcoholics and other drug users, difficulty remembering relevant information, and lying and exaggerating information for the best interest of the patient (Maleka, 2004). Use of the ASI can be found to be particularly problematic when used with the homeless or double-diagnosis patients. The ASI can be used in a wide range of treatment settings including clinical, research, and administrative. This comprehensive evaluation is a useful tool that helps professionals understand the
Wilkes, E, Gray, D, Saggesr, S, Casey, W & Stearne, A 2010, ‘Substance Misuse and Mental Health
Poverty in mental health prevents patients from seeking out medical attention due to lack of insurance. “insurance coverage disparities make mental health care less accessible than other forms of health care” (Safran, 2011). Due to lack of insurance patients are not receiving adequate care, such as being evaluated, receiving the appropriate treatments, and not going to doctor follow up appointments to ensure proper care. Without receiving proper treatment, it can cause the patient condition to get worse and would not have a chance of a successful outcome. Also, poverty can cause additional stress and anxiety making the mental illness progress. “The stresses of living with someone who has a mental health problem may be particularly pronounced for families who live in resource poor areas where treatment options, accurate information, and social support may be limited.” (Bischoff, 2017). Lack of attention is another health disparities, due to lack of attention, there is limited funding sources to help mental health patients. Since there is a lack of funding these individuals are not getting the appropriate help that is needed. As well since mental health lacks attention and funding, there are limited mental health institutions, so people who need to be institutionalized may be required to be relocated to another city/state. We must try our best to provide all resources for our patients and
Our main assessment tool is the Addiction Severity Index (ASI) it is a widely used structured interview that is designed to provide important information about what might contribute to a client’s alcohol or drug problem. The instrument assess seven dimensions that typically are of concern in addiction: (1) medical status, (2) education/employment status/support status, (3) drug/alcohol use, (4) legal status, (5) family history, (6) family/social relationships, and (7) psychiatric status. The ASI was the first standardized assessment tool of its kind to measure the multiple dimensions of substance abuse. The ASI is conducted in an interview format by clinicians worldwide. It has been used as an assessment tool by state agencies and treatment providers and has been translated into 18 languages (McLellan, Luborsky & Woody,
The United States government spent 2.3 billion dollars in 2010 on federally funded healthcare initiatives and programs according to a report from the U.S Department of Health and Human Services (2008). Despite this astronomical amount of money, health care disparities continue to plague disadvantaged populations in the United States. A health care disparity is defined as differences in incidence, mortality, prevalence, disease burden, and adverse health conditions that occur in specific population groups in the United States (National Institutes of Health, 2010).
The Werry Centre. (2013). Co-existing Problems (CEP) & Youth: A Resource for enhancing Practice & Service Delivery. The Werry Centre for Child and Adolesence. Auckland: The University of Auckland.
Center, N. D. (2004, April). Drug Abuse and Mental Illness. Retrieved Febrauary 9, 2011, from Justice.gov: http://www.justice.gov/ndic/pubs7/7343/7343p.pdf
“For every family that is impacted by drugs, there are another 10 to 15 families impacted by alcohol abuse. It's a pretty big deal. We have a tendency to only look at part of the puzzle.” (Kevin Lewis). As a society we tend to categorize the severity of addiction in a way that drugs are the most dangerous and alcohol being just a problem. Because alcohol addiction can be a slow progressive disease many people don’t see it in the same light as drug addiction. An addiction to drugs is seen as being a more deadly and dangerous issue then that of alcohol because a drug addiction can happen more quickly and can kill more quickly. Alcohol is something that is easy to obtain, something that is found at almost every restaurant. People with an alcohol addiction can not hide from alcohol as easy as a drug addict. Approximately 7 million Americans suffer from alcohol abuse and another 7 million suffer from alcoholism. (Haisong 6) The dangers of alcohol affect everyone from children with alcoholic parents, to teenagers who abuse alcohol, then to citizens who are terrorized by drunk drivers.
Having equal resources available regardless of the type of condition is important for many reasons. When medications and doctor visits are not covered by your insurance, and you have to pay for it out of pocket, you have to make some tough decisions. If your bipolar medication costs 100 dollars for a month’s supply, and that is how much you usually budget for groceries, which one are you going to choose? Having to choose between basic needs and your own health care is a position no one should have to be in. The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act is trying to eliminate this kind of problem. It makes it so that patients have the same help with doctor visits and medications for mental health conditions as they do for conditions that
Kessler et al. (2013). The Epidemiology of co‐occurring addictive and mental disorders: implications for prevention and service utilization. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 66(1), p. 17-31.
This increases the depression and dependency of avoiding the feeling of being sober and dealing with the situations of financial stress. They feel hopeless and have given up on any chance to heal mentally and in some cases physically in cases of overdose. Poverty can be emotionally, physically and mentally take a toll on anyone when they are unable to afford any times to keep good hygiene, eat regularly, or even have money to eat all of this causes strain of physical and mental health. Those who struggle with addiction that are in living in poverty are unable to receive any help they need in order to overcome the psychological and physical need of substances. Employment is this case is also more difficult to obtain due to the applicant not being able to pass a drug test. Addictions cloud judgment and any amount of money for food and other types of living necessities are not as important as their next high or drink. “Having a safe place to live, together with community based mental health services, is a vital component of stabilizing the illness and helping individuals on their journey to recovery. Housing outreaches services have proven to be extremely successful in helping those with mental illness find and keep housing.”(© 2016 Canadian Observatory on
Both mental illness and substance abuse remain stigmatized with major gender, racial-ethnic and economic inequalities in access, use and quality of services and support. Therefore, my goal is to collaborate with educational institutions, health organizations and government agencies to create, study, and disseminate interventions that reduce the risk, increase resilience, provide effective treatment, and aid in-long term recovery. In particular, I am interested in creating policies that will help bridge the economic inequalities face by those who experience mental illnesses and substance abuse disorders. With these plans in mind, I am currently studying French and will continue working with underserved communities to gain valuable field experience in public
The use and abuse of alcohol and other drugs during adolescence and early adulthood remains a serious health problem in the United States. Among the drug classes, alcohol is the most frequently used substance by adolescents and that is followed by marijuana and tobacco. The consequences of alcohol and drug abuse are critical on both a personal and social level. For the developing young adult drug and alcohol abuse threatens motivation, hinders the cognitive processes, increases the risk of accidental injury or death, and contributes to debilitating mood disorders. In addition, it contributes to educational failure, juvenile crime, increase in mental health services, and high cost in health care. Oftentimes, there are underlying mental health issues that are undiagnosed or existing conditions that are medicated which can invariably lead to an increase in adolescent alcohol and substance use disorder.