Washtenaw County - Mental Illness and Wellbeing Report Available

Mental Illness and Wellbeing Report Available

The Washtenaw County Public Health Department is pleased to release our newest report, ‘Mind Matters: A Public Health Approach to Mental Illness and Well-Being.’ This chartbook, one in a series of other Public Health topical reports including Cancer, Injury, Cardiovascular Disease, etc. represents a preliminary examination of the status of mental illness and well being of Washtenaw County residents. Traditionally, this topic has been inadequately addressed for a number of reasons; including lack of data, ambiguous definitions and difficult stigma issues. Although mental health is a sensitive topic, the prevalence of mental illness and its consequences can no longer be overlooked given the significant costs to individuals, families and society. While mental disorders include a range of illnesses (such as anxiety, schizophrenia, and autism), depression is one of the most common and is pervasive worldwide. Depression is now the fourth-leading cause of the global disease burden and the leading cause of disability worldwide. (1) Depression seriously reduces the quality of life for individuals and their families, is a risk factor for suicide, and often worsens the outcome of other physical health problems.

Consequently, it is imperative that Washtenaw County residents have a better understanding of the prevalence and burden of serious persistent mental illness; but also of the risk and protective factors that may trigger mental illness or prevent symptomology. Examples of these topics covered in the report include: adequate sleep, well-being, life satisfaction, activity limitations, poor mental health days, emotional and social support measures. Similar to how we examine the prevalence of lung cancer, its risk and protective factors, so too we must remain vigilant in understanding the impact and preventability of mental illness.

Key findings of ‘Mind Matters’ include that prevalence of anxiety and mood disorders, including depression, are similar or higher than those of other chronic diseases such as coronary heart disease, cancer, diabetes and asthma. Approximately 21% – 26% of Washtenaw County adults have a diagnosable mental illness and 10% have poor mental health at least ten days during the past month. For Washtenaw County residents who identify 30 days of poor mental health during the past month, only 29% are currently being seen by a mental health professional. Persons with ten or more poor mental health days in the past month have excessive rates of smoking, binge drinking, overweight, diabetes, asthma, intimate partner violence, as well as decreased access to medical care. Reducing substance abuse, adequate preconceptual and prenatal health, and increasing protective factors such as access to positive adult role models, are also key variables in preventing mental illness, cognitive, emotional and mental disabilities in children. Currently, 15% of Washtenaw County school children receive special education services.

It is our hope that the information contained in ‘Mind Matters’ will spur further community inquiry and discussion leading to more informed policy development and budget allocation decisions regarding mental health parity, mental health services and more appropriate attention to prevention. The full Mind Matters report can be accessed here.

1) Worley, Heidi. Depression a Leading Contributor to Global Burden of Disease: A Myriad of Obstacles—Particularly Stigma—Block Better Treatment in Developing Countries. U.S. Population Reference Bureau. June 2006.