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Age differences in satisfaction with and perceived benefit from mental health services: results from the collaborative psychiatric epidemiology surveys
Author(s) -
Ford Katy L.,
Bryant Ami N.,
Kim Giyeon
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
international journal of geriatric psychiatry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.28
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1099-1166
pISSN - 0885-6230
DOI - 10.1002/gps.3889
Subject(s) - moderation , mental health , psychological intervention , epidemiology , psychiatric epidemiology , marital status , medicine , demography , psychology , psychiatry , clinical psychology , gerontology , population , environmental health , social psychology , sociology
Objective This study examined variation by age in satisfaction with and perceived benefit from mental health services (MHS). Methods Drawn from the nationally representative Collaborative Psychiatric Epidemiology Surveys (2001–2003), the current sample included 1286 adults from age 18 to 87 years who had at least one DSM‐IV diagnosis and had used MHS during the past year. Multiple linear regression analyses were used to predict satisfaction with and perceived benefit from past year MHS use. Independent variables were sociodemographic factors and objective and perceived needs. Results Results from multiple linear regression analyses showed that older age was positively associated with both MHS satisfaction ( p < 0.05, β = 0.105) and perceived amount of benefit ( p < 0.05, β = 0.106), as was better self‐rated mental health ( p < 0.001, β = 0.186; p < 0.001, β = 0.177). A greater number of comorbid psychiatric diagnoses was negatively associated with satisfaction ( p < 0.05, β = −0.089). Marital status was found to be a moderator of the effect of age: for married respondents, age had a significant effect on both outcome variables ( p < 0.05, β = 0.102; p < 0.05, β = 0.105), but for unmarried respondents, it did not. Conclusions Our findings show clear evidence of age differences in satisfaction with and perceived benefit from MHS. The findings provide important implications for future interventions targeted to improve MHS satisfaction. Age‐specific strategies should be developed to prevent delay in mental health treatment. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.