Perceptions of Overall Mental Health and Barriers to Mental Health Treatment Among US Older Adults

Abstract

Objectives: We surveyed older adults about their perceived mental health and their comfort discussing and engaging in mental health treatment.

Methods: A nationally representative survey of community-dwelling older adults aged 50-80 (N = 2,021), with respondents asked to rate their current mental health as compared to 20 years ago, comfort discussing their mental health, and potential hesitations to seeking treatment in the future.

Results: About 79.6% reported their mental health as the same or better than 20 years ago; 18.6% reported their mental health to be worse. Most respondents reported that they were comfortable (87.3%) discussing their mental health, preferring to discuss such concerns with their primary care provider (30.6%). About 28.5% of respondents did endorse some hesitation seeking mental health care in the future.

Conclusions: Most older adults reported that their mental health was as good if not better than it was 20 years ago and felt comfortable discussing mental health concerns.

Keywords: Mental health; barriers to care; stigma.