Three-quarters of Americans feel mental health conditions are identified and treated much worse than physical health issues within the U.S. healthcare system, even as more than 80% perceive a dramatic rise in prevalence of mental health issues in the last five years, according to a new survey from West Health and Gallup released at the start of Mental Health Awareness Month and Older Americans Month.
Nearly identical percentages believe mental health is handled either “much” (38%) or “somewhat” worse (37%) than physical health ailments, while 15% say they are dealt with “about the same.” Just 5% think mental health is treated “somewhat” (4%) or “much” better (1%). This negative assessment of mental healthcare comes as 4 in 5 Americans perceive an increase in conditions such as depression or anxiety over the past five years, including 42% who think they have increased a lot.
These latest findings may explain why 57% of Americans give poor to failing grades to the nation’s healthcare system for its handling of mental health conditions — 32% give it a “D” and 25% give it an “F.” Only 1% awarded the top grade of “A”, with 8% giving it a “B” and 27% a “C.”