Improving the Quality of Care for Serious Mental Illness

  • Alexander S. Young
  • Amy N. Cohen
  • Karen A. Miotto
Chapter
First Online:

Abstract

Serious mental illness (SMI) has been defined as a persistent psychiatric disorder that has resulted in a substantial impairment in functioning. Approximately 1 in 25 (14 million) adults in the USA are living with SMI (NAMI 2015). Schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and recurrent major depression are common disorders that often meet this definition. About 1 % (two million) and 3 % (six million) of the population have been diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, respectively (NAMI 2015). Of these, only 64 % with schizophrenia and 56 % with bipolar disorder are receiving treatment, often from locations such as community mental health centers, hospitals, or jails and prisons (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services, 2014). Recurrent major depression is a leading cause of disability and affects 7 % of the population (15 million). Despite high treatment success rates for depressive disorders, nearly two out of three people with these disorders do not seek or receive treatment (Young, Klap, Sherbourne, & Wells, 2001; Young, Klap, Shoai, & Wells, 2008). The disease burden of SMI is amongst the largest of the medical disorders. Short-term adverse effects include impaired ability to carry out daily activities in productive roles (job, school, housework) and social roles (family, friends). Serious psychiatric disorders have an earlier age of onset than most chronic physical disorders, which contributes to the magnitude of their long-term adverse effects (Kessler et al., 2007). Early-onset mental disorders predict a persistent disabling course and development of a wide range of physical disorders including obesity, diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases (Kessler et al., 2009).

Keywords

Quality assessment Quality assurance Improvement Patient outcomes Patient-centered care Mental health care service Schizophrenia 
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Copyright information

© Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2016

Authors and Affiliations

  • Alexander S. Young
    • 1
  • Amy N. Cohen
    • 2
  • Karen A. Miotto
    • 3
  1. 1.Department of Veterans Affairs and UCLALos AngelesUSA
  2. 2.Department of Veterans Affairs and UCLALos AngelesUSA
  3. 3.Department of PsychiatryUCLA Health SystemLos AngelesUSA

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