OBJECTIVE: Mental illnesses are consistently underrecognized and undertreated, leading to underestimations of the societal burden of mental illness as a contributor to disability benefit expenditures. This study examined the extent of undertreatment before disability pensions for mental illness were awarded. METHODS: Norwegian National Insurance Administration data were linked to data from the HUNT-2 study, a population-based health survey, and 403 persons awarded a disability pension for mental illness in the five years before the health survey were identified. The extent of help seeking for any mental illness before the pension was awarded was examined. RESULTS: Of the 403 adults who were pensioned out of the workforce for a disability involving mental illness, 128 (32%, 95% confidence interval=27%-36%) reported never having sought help for any mental health problem. CONCLUSIONS: Although self-report of receipt of treatment is a limitation of the study, the results suggest a potential for preventing permanent work-related disability through improved access to effective treatment.
OBJECTIVE: Mental illnesses are consistently underrecognized and undertreated, leading to underestimations of the societal burden of mental illness as a contributor to disability benefit expenditures. This study examined the extent of undertreatment before disability pensions for mental illness were awarded. METHODS: Norwegian National Insurance Administration data were linked to data from the HUNT-2 study, a population-based health survey, and 403 persons awarded a disability pension for mental illness in the five years before the health survey were identified. The extent of help seeking for any mental illness before the pension was awarded was examined. RESULTS: Of the 403 adults who were pensioned out of the workforce for a disability involving mental illness, 128 (32%, 95% confidence interval=27%-36%) reported never having sought help for any mental health problem. CONCLUSIONS: Although self-report of receipt of treatment is a limitation of the study, the results suggest a potential for preventing permanent work-related disability through improved access to effective treatment.
Authors: Maria Melchior; Jane E Ferrie; Kristina Alexanderson; Marcel Goldberg; Mika Kivimaki; Archana Singh-Manoux; Jussi Vahtera; Hugo Westerlund; Marie Zins; Jenny Head Journal: Am J Public Health Date: 2009-06-18 Impact factor: 9.308
Authors: Filip Drozd; Linda Vaskinn; Hans Bugge Bergsund; Silje Marie Haga; Kari Slinning; Cato Alexander Bjørkli Journal: J Med Internet Res Date: 2016-09-08 Impact factor: 5.428
Authors: Silje Endresen Reme; Astrid Louise Grasdal; Camilla Løvvik; Stein Atle Lie; Simon Øverland Journal: Occup Environ Med Date: 2015-08-06 Impact factor: 4.402