BEHAVIORAL HEALTH EQUITY scale of impact

Behavioral health conditions are on the rise, 1 and stark disparities exist that are disproportionately affecting marginalized groups — especially people of color. The first step in providing support for your workforce is grasping the extent of behavioral health disparities. $16T Mental health conditions are pr ojected to contribute to $16 trillion in lost productivity by 2030 . 2 ↑ 3X Estimates show that those of the lowest socioeconomic status are up to 3X more likely to have a mental health condition. 3 63% 63% of Black adults believe that a mental health condition is a sign of personal weakness, which could lead those with a mental health challenge to worry about discrimination. 4 Take a closer look at the staggering scope of behavioral health disparities across racial, socioeconomic and geographic groups. RECEIVING CARE ONLY 1 IN 3 Only 1 in 3 Black adults who need mental healthcare receive it. 5 - Only about 34% of Hispanic/Latino adults with mental health conditions receive treatment each year, compared to the U.S. average of 45%. 6 STARTING AND STAYING IN TREATMENT 20% - 50% LESS LIKELY Due to stigma, people of color are 20% – 50% less likely to seek out mental healthcare, and 40% – 80% more likely to end treatment prematurely. 7 - Rates of prescription treatment for diagnosed major depression are 33% lower for Hispanic communities and 13% lower for Black communities than for white communities . Rates of counseling for diagnosed major depression are also 21% lower for Hispanic communities than white communities. 8 UNDERDIAGNOSIS 30 - 40% LOWER Dropdown copy: - Likely due to underdiagnosis, majority Black and Hispanic communities have a 30 - 40% lower diagnosis rate of major depression than white communities. 9 - Early and consistent screening combined with the context of known risk factors has been found to help detect and treat postpartum depression. 10 But according to a recent survey from Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, 34% of Black women and 38% of Hispanic women said they were not screened for postpartum depression or did not know if they were screened. 1 1 Learn more about maternal health disparities in Volume #2 of our Health Equity mini - eMagazine series . GEOGRAPHIC IMPACT 80% LACKING 80% of all rural counties are lacking even a single psychiatrist. 1 2 This is especially relevant given the change in moving patterns over the last two years — six of the top ten states with the highest inbound moving percentages of 2021 are among the 20 least densely populated states in America. 1 3 SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS 35% EARNING <$40K Socioeconomic status also reflects sizable disparities that have been amplified by COVID - 19. 35% of adults with less than $40K a year in household income reported a major negative impact to their mental health due to the pandemic, versus 21% with $40K - $89K and 17% with $90K or more. 1 4 - Adults who are uninsured or low - income are more likely to experience serious mental health conditions than individuals with insurance or higher incomes. 1 5 CHRONIC CONDITIONS AND COMORBIDITIES 2X AS LIKELY Those diagnosed with a chronic illness are twice as likely to have a behavioral health condition, and those with a behavioral health condition are more likely to have a chronic illness. 1 6 Comorbidities such as this are associated with worse health outcomes, more complex clinical management and increased healthcare costs. 1 7 - People of color are up to two times more likely to have major long - term conditions when compared to white people. 1 8 Impact on employers Body copy: With people of color projected to make up over half of the U.S. population by 2050, 1 9 persistence of behavioral health disparities among diverse segments of the workforce could have significant impacts on businesses. Depression is one condition in particular that has massive cost implications both to the well - being of the workforce and to organizations. Addressing behavioral health equity is good business. More than 80% of employees treated for mental health conditions report improved levels of work efficacy and satisfaction. And it's cost-effective. When employees receive equitable, effective treatment for mental health, the result is lower total medical costs, increased productivity, lower absenteeism and decreased disability costs. 20 LOST PRODUCTIVITY $1T The flu costs $1,000 in lost productivity per employee per year and $10.4B in direct medical costs, while depression costs $9,450 in lost productivity per employee per year and $110B in direct medical costs. 21 Employees with depression also miss between 6 and 25 more days per year and suffer from impaired work performance between 13% and 29% of the time. 22 The estimated cost of depression and anxiety to the global economy is $1 trillion per year in lost productivity. 23 HIGHER MONTHLY COST $560 The healthcare costs for treating individuals with chronic medical and behavioral health conditions are 2 - 3X higher than for those without behavioral health conditions. 24 In dollar terms, patients with untreated depression and a chronic illness hav e monthly healthcare costs that average $560 higher than those with just a chronic disease. Higher levels of comorbidity among people of color make this even more urgent. 25 Advancing behavioral health equity takes all of us. Body copy: There’s much more to learn about the different groups affected by behavioral health disparities, key contributing factors and strategies for employers to change the tide for their workforce. Download our latest Health Equity mini-eMagazine and join the journey to make healthcare more equitable at smarterbetterhealthcare.com