Table 2.
Sample Characteristics by Provider Chosen for Mental Health Services in the Previous 6 Months
| Provider of Mental Health Services (± SE) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Characteristics | Primary Care Mental Health Services N = 387 | Mental Health Specialist Services N = 487 | No Mental Health Services N = 250 |
| Total sample | 34.8 (1.7) | 43.1 (1.7) | 22.1 () |
| Demographic factors | |||
| Age | |||
| <45, % | 51 | 52 | 50 |
| 45–64, % | 40 | 41 | 39.2 |
| 65≤, % | 9 | 7 | 10.2 |
| Gender Female, % | 76.6 (2.1)* | 67.9 (2.1)* | 68.8 (2.9) |
| Race ethnic minority, % | 25.6 (2.2) | 26.5 (1.9) | 36.4 (3.0)* |
| Married, % | 47.7 (2.5) | 41.4 (2.2) | 37.6 (3.0) |
| Socioeconomic characteristics | |||
| Education | |||
| Less than high school, % | 15‡ | 12‡ | 11.2‡ |
| High school graduate, % | 36 | 27 | 27.6 |
| Some college, % | 32 | 38 | 36.4 |
| College graduate, % | 17 | 23 | 24.8 |
| Mean income household income, % | 30,234 (1,883) | 34,906 (2,273) | 30,393 (2,261) |
| Employment income, % receiving any in past year | 70.6 (2.2) | 67 (2.1) | 73.9 (2.8) |
| Unemployment benefits, % receiving any in past year | 29.4 (2.2) | 35.7 (2.0) | 26.8(2.7)* |
| Illness factors | |||
| Mean CES-D score | 36.0 (0.7) | 37.5 (0.7) | 30.7 (0.9)* |
| Mean SF-36 mental health score | 29.3 (0.5) | 30.0 (0.5) | 34.8 (0.7) |
| Mean SF-36 physical component score | 44.9 (0.7) | 43.4 (0.5) | 44.8 (0.8) |
| Mean number comorbid conditions | 2.0 (0.1) | 2.2 (0.1) | 2.0 (0.1) |
| Social/behavioral factors | |||
| Mean physical average (social) support | 3.5 (0.5) | 3.4 (0.5) | 3.5 (0.7) |
| Mean total social support | 32.0 (0.4) | 31.0 (0.4) | 31.5 (0.6) |
| Mean total adverse life events (with negative effect) | 3.2 (0.1)* | 3.5 (0.1)* | 2.9 (0.2)* |
| Access factors | |||
| Insurance status, % with coverage | 92.8 (1.5) | 94.1 (1.5) | 92.0 (1.7) |
| Mean PCP visit cost, $ | 11.7 (0.9) | 9.2 (0.7) | 11.9 (1.1) |
| Mean mental health specialist visit cost, $ | Not available | 11.1 (0.8) | Not available |
| Mean wait + travel time to primary care physician, min | 51.4 (2.0)) | 52.5 (2.1) | 50.2 (2.0) |
| Mean wait + travel time to mental health specialist, min† | 45.4 (2.0) | 39.5 (2.1)* | 43.8 (1.5) |
| Health service utilization (last 6 months) | |||
| Mean total mental health visits (all types of providers) | 2.9 (0.2)* | 15.1 (1.3)* | 0 |
| Mean total primary care visits | 6.4 (0.4)* | 10.1 (0.6)* | 5.4 (3.2)* |
| Medication treatment | 11 (1.5)* | 26.9 (2.0)* | 5.0 (2.0)* |
*
P value t test comparing primary care group or no mental health services group with the mental health specialty group < .05.
†
Information available on only part of the sample.
‡
P value χ2 comparing all groups < .05.
CES-D, Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale; SF-36, short form 36; MHS, mental health specialist; PCP, primary care physician.