Mental Illness Was One Of The Costliest Conditions Between 1996 To 2006

[ellion]

The number of Americans under care for depression and other mental illnesses nearly doubled between 1996 and 2006, and the overall cost of treating them jumped by nearly two-thirds, according to the latest News and Numbers from HHS' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

According to the analysis by the federal agency, the number of patients treated for mental disorders, including depression and bipolar disease, increased from 19 million to 36 million. The overall treatment costs for mental disorders rose from $35 billion (in 2006 dollars) to nearly $58 billion, making it one of the top 5 costliest medical conditions between 1996 and 2006.

In addition, the study concluded that:
Heart disease, cancer, trauma-related disorders, and asthma were among the other five most costly conditions in both 1996 and 2006. Overall spending for heart disease treatment increased the least, from $72 billion in 1996 to $78 billion in 2006.

Spending for cancer treatment went from $47 billion to $58 billion; asthma costs rose from $36 billion to $51 billion; and the cost to treat trauma-related disorders climbed from $46 billion to $68 billion.

In terms of average per-patient cost, Cancer accounted for the highest, up slightly from $5,067 to $5,178, but treatment costs for trauma and asthma rose more steeply, increasing from $1,220 to $1,953 and from $863 to $1,059, respectively. In contrast, average per-patient spending for heart conditions and mental disorder fell from $4,333 to $3,964 and $1,825 to $1,591, respectively.
Citation:

Soni, Anita. The Five Most Costly Conditions, 1996 and 2006: Estimates for the U.S. Civilian Noninstitutionalized Population. Statistical Brief #248. July 2009. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD.

[Kallisti]

Apparently I'm picking the right profession.   

[SWM]

it was around the time the recession was hitting people hardest that irealised i would never be out of work for long.

the tougher things are in the world the more help people need, and when times are good there are personal development and relationship problems to work on.

of course i never came into this work for the money.

[Kallisti]

Ah, but you have work at all.  Right now that'd be kindof nice.

IT incidentally, is a really bad career move.

[SWM]

whats happening in IT? i would think that somebody with IT skills could find a million ways to earn a living. it is going to be the biggest media and mass communication system that we have ever experienced a society. if it is not hat already.

but yes, plenty of work in this field, i could work seven days a week 12 hours a day. in various roles and salaries.

but then i was talking to my GF today who is thinking of applying for one of the positions that i work.

she was saying how she wishes she had studied psychology and obtained a degree in psych.

i was like "no, you really dont", there are only a tiny fraction of jobs compared to the ammount of psychology grads in the uk. she has a counselling qualification like myself and she has always had work since qualifiying, as i have. 

although there are plenty of jobs that psych grads can do that outside of clincal psychology.

[Kallisti]

All the entry level jobs got outsourced, or just made redundant by better tech.  Someone established might do ok, trying to break in means dealing with companies who want a CV a mile long (IE, you need to do the job of 10 people, from day 1), and won't hire people without experience.

I'm not sure what the British system is like, but stateside I'd probably need more than a bachelor's to have reliable work (or just get the bachelors and a lower level cert, though that might need a masters).  Bachelor jobs are usually in the research end (which is where I want to be, therapy is more of a reliable backup).

[voodoo scientist]

If only the definition of "mental illness" included stupidity, mental illness would be getting the attention it deserves.

[liza123]

If only the definition of "mental illness" included stupidity, mental illness would be getting the attention it deserves.

That was a 'creative' thought.  You are right about mental illness not getting the attention it deserves. With more attention and understanding, there will be less people who will be afraid to get the necessary treatment because of the possible 'branding' by others.

[SWM]

what just happened? Liza, did you just agree with Voodoo?