Most Americans want primary care providers to address mental health

West Health-Gallup survey shows PCPs have opportunity to help patients beyond physical health

West Health Institute

 

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More than half of U.S. adults want doctors to address mental health directly. West Health-Gallup Survey on Mental Health in America, Oct. 1-13, 2024.

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Credit: West Health-Gallup Survey on Mental Health in America, Oct. 1-13, 2024.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Nov. 21, 2024 — A majority of Americans (70%) say they would prefer to be asked about both their physical and mental health during medical appointments with their primary care providers (PCPs). The finding from the new West Health-Gallup Survey on Mental Health in America comes as more than one in five U.S. adults, or 59.3 million people, were living with a mental illness in 2022, and little more than half of them (50.6%) received treatment within the prior year.

According to the survey, majorities of men (65%) and women (76%) are eager to discuss both their mental and physical health with their primary care doctor. Women are 11 percentage points more likely than men to want to talk about both types of health concerns. Additionally, mental health conditions don’t just impact those diagnosed; 53% of Americans in the survey report having someone in their household or a close family member diagnosed with a mental health condition, and nearly 60% say the mental health condition has negatively affected their daily life.

Americans, however, want more than just talk; if a mental health condition is diagnosed, 57% consider it very important for the doctor to either address it themselves or provide a referral. The new survey also reveals over half of Americans find it very important for doctors to screen patients for anxiety and depression.

“We can do a better job making the diagnosis and treatment of a mental health condition more accessible, affordable and integrated, and the solution may lie in primary care settings, where patients are most likely to interact with a health professional and less likely to feel stigmatized,” said Tim Lash, president of West Health Policy Center, a nonprofit focused on healthcare and aging. “Patients would benefit from earlier and more proactive management of conditions, and the system would benefit from a more efficient, effective and interconnected approach to care.”

Most Americans (74%) are generally comfortable discussing mental health issues with a primary care provider (41% are “very comfortable” and 33% “somewhat comfortable”). Women and men are equally comfortable, though men are less likely to say they prefer that their doctor ask them about both mental and physical health.

“While it is positive to see the stigma around talking about mental health eroding, America continues to struggle with having enough available primary care providers to have these critical conversations,” said Dan Witters, director of wellbeing research at Gallup. “Many physicians say they are experiencing burnout and are frustrated that they can’t provide the quality of care they want to due to high caseloads.”

“The demand for high-quality care for some of the most common mental health conditions continues to grow,” said Lash. “West Health and collaborators are working on new integrated models now that could be adopted by health systems across the country, which would both increase access and stem the mental health crisis in America. Data show that primary care physicians working in tandem with mental health professionals leads to earlier intervention and better outcomes for patients.”

Methodology
The West Health-Gallup Survey on Mental Health in America was conducted by web and mail Oct. 1-13, 2024, with 2,389 adults, aged 18 and older, living in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia as part of the Gallup Panel™.

About West Health
Solely funded by philanthropists Gary and Mary West, West Health is a family of nonprofit and nonpartisan organizations including the Gary and Mary West Foundation and Gary and Mary West Health Institute in San Diego and the Gary and Mary West Health Policy Center in Washington, D.C. West Health is dedicated to lowering healthcare costs to enable seniors to successfully age in place with access to high-quality, affordable health and support services that preserve and protect their dignity, quality of life and independence. Learn more at westhealth.org.

About Gallup

Gallup delivers analytics and advice to help leaders and organizations solve their most pressing problems. Combining more than 80 years of experience with its global reach, Gallup knows more about the attitudes and behaviors of employees, customers, students and citizens than any other organization in the world.