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EMBARGOED
FOR RELEASE
Until May 4, 2005, at 9 a.m. (EDT)
Fact Sheet: Consumer Survey on Mental Health Issues
Healthy
Perspectives on Mental Health Issues
- Nearly
nine in ten adults (89 percent) surveyed agree that
people with mental illnesses can lead healthy lives.
- Four in
five (80 percent) agree that treatment for mental illnesses
works.
- Seventy
percent agree that seeing a psychiatrist is a sign of
strength.
But
Misconceptions Persist
- One in
five adults surveyed (18 percent) say that seeing a
psychiatrist is something they would not do under any
circumstance.
- Three in
five (58 percent) are not concerned about the possibility
that they or a family member will suffer from a mental
illness.
- The
reality is that one in five adults has a diagnosable
mental illness during any one-year period, meaning
that few American families are untouched by mental
illness.
- Three in
four (75 percent) correctly understand that psychiatrists
are medical doctors with medical degrees, but 38 percent
mistakenly think that psychologists are medical doctors.
Mental
Health Support Networks: From Family to Physicians
- Who do
Americans turn to for addressing emotional or mental
health concerns?
- Four
in five adults surveyed say they would be very or
somewhat likely to seek help from a friend or family
member (82 percent), or from a primary care physician
(81 percent).
- Almost
two in three adults (64 percent) are likely to turn
to a minister, priest, rabbi, or other spiritual
adviser.
- Just
more than half are likely to seek help from a mental
health professional: 57 percent are likely to turn
to a psychiatrist, and 53 percent are likely to
turn to a psychologist.
The
Gender Gap
- •
Equal proportions of men and women believe that treatment
for mental illnesses works, but women are significantly
more open than men toward mental health professionals.
- More
women than men think that seeing a psychiatrist
is a sign of strength (78 percent vs. 61 percent).
- More
men than women say that seeing a psychiatrist or
a psychologist is something they would not do under
any circumstances (psychiatrist: 23 percent vs.
13 percent; psychologist: 28 percent vs. 19 percent).
- More
women than men agree that psychiatrists help all
kinds of people, including people like themselves
(76 percent vs. 68 percent).
- More
women than men have recommended to a friend or family
member that he or she see a mental health professional,
such as a psychologist or psychiatrist (41 percent
vs. 25 percent).
Younger
Adults More Open Than Older Adults
- Younger
adults (35-54) are significantly more positive than
older adults (65+) about various mental health issues,
and are more open toward mental health professionals,
highlighting progress made in younger generations embracing
the realities of mental illness.
- More
younger adults than older adults believe that people
with mental illnesses can lead healthy lives (94
percent vs. 85 percent).
- More
younger adults than older adults believe that treatment
for mental illnesses works (81 percent vs. 70 percent).
- More
younger adults than older adults believe that seeing
a psychiatrist is a sign of strength (72 percent
vs. 59 percent).
- More
younger adults than older adults believe that psychiatrists
help all kinds of people, including people like
themselves (72 percent vs. 61 percent).
About
the Survey:
This survey
was conducted for the American Psychiatric Association
by using Opinion Research Corporation’s CARAVAN®
Omnibus Survey. Telephone interviews were completed from
the period March 31 – April 3, 2005, with 1,020
adults comprising 510 men and 510 women 18 years of age
and older. The sample is based on a methodology designed
to produce a representative sample of the U.S. adult population.
The sampling error for the total sample of this survey
(n = 1,020) is plus or minus 3 percentage points. Please
note that when comparing smaller subgroups, such as respondents
divided by gender categories, or income, the margin of
error increases.
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