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In a national poll published today by the American Psychological Association, 48% of American households have had a family member see a mental health professional and 9 out of 10 Americans say that they would consider consulting with or recommending a mental health professional if either they or a member of their family were experiencing problems.
Of those individuals polled, 87% say that lack of insurance coverage and concerns about the cost of treatment (81%) are important reasons not to seek help from a mental health professional. More and more Americans (85%) think health insurance should cover mental health services, up from 79% when asked the same question in December 2000.
The poll was conducted in January 2004 and surveyed 1,000 Americans. Respondents were between the ages of 18 and 64 years old. The poll shows that stigma about seeking mental health treatment is increasingly less of a barrier to getting treatment but that insurance coverage is becoming a greater barrier.
The poll revealed that only 30% of Americans say they would be concerned about other people finding out if they saw a mental health professional and only 20% believe there is any stigma associated with therapy. Nearly half (47%) say that the stigma surrounding mental health services has decreased in recent years, and the media gets the most credit for that (35%), although society in general (25%) seems to be more accepting as well.
American Psychological Association Survey Results
Facts about stigma
National Mental Health Association
NAMI
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