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Health Care Economics
Published Online: 5 October 2007

Employees Still Getting Inadequate MH Care

Publication: Psychiatric News
Volume 42, Number 19
https://doi.org/10.1176/pn.42.19.0005a
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Here are some of the key findings from “Innerworkings: A Look at Mental Health in Today's Workplace,” which reports the survey results from 515 human resource executives representing small to large companies, with the largest employing up to 350,000 employees and with offices in nearly every state (see Psychiatrists Urged to Partner With Business on MH Care for more information).
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Lost Opportunities: Thirty-one percent of respondents said“ mental illness” has more effect on lost productivity, increased absenteeism, and other indirect costs than any other health issue. “Back problems” came in second at 14 percent (see chart).
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Prevalence Underestimated: Although a study by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration estimated that the rate of serious mental illness among adults who were employed full time in 2003 was 8.2 percent, two-thirds of the survey respondents estimated that only 3 percent or less of their employees were mentally ill at any one time.
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Education Needed: Two-thirds said that their companies do not provide managers with mental health education. Fewer still (15 percent) said that their managers are trained in recognizing a mental health problem and directing an employee to seek treatment.
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Lack of Awareness: Almost 75 percent believe that employees fail to seek treatment because “they do not realize they are ill or believe they can solve the problem on their own.” More than 40 percent believe employees may be “unaware of available treatments or don't believe that they help.”
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Stigma Persists: “Shame and stigma” were cited by 80 percent as major reasons that employees said made them avoid treatment. More than half (56 percent) said employees fear “their employer or coworkers could find out” if they sought treatment.
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Minimal Screenings: Screening for mental illness is at the bottom of the list: only 12 percent of respondents said their companies encourage mental health screening. In contrast, 70 percent said their companies “actively encourage” mammograms and blood pressure monitoring, and nearly 50 percent encourage weight management. Only 38 percent regularly monitor employee morale, satisfaction, and stress.
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Equal Health Benefits Missing: The majority of the companies (90 percent) for which the respondents worked provide mental health benefits, but only one-third reported that medical and behavioral health benefits are equivalent.

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Psychiatric News
Volume 42 • Number 19 • October 5, 2007
Pages: 5

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Published online: 5 October 2007
Published in print: October 5, 2007

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