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April 26, 2021Updated May 5, 2022

May is Mental Health Awareness Month

Facts about Mental Health:

  • More than 50% of Americans will be diagnosed with mental illness or a mental health disorder during the lifetime.1
  • About one in every five adults in the US will be diagnosed with mental illness and about one in every 25 adults in the US will be diagnosed with a serious mental illness such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression.1
  • Severe depression affects 6.9 % of people in the US.2
  • Anxiety disorders affect 18% of people in the US.2
  • Individuals diagnosed with depression have a 64 percent higher risk for coronary artery disease.3
  • Furthermore, those diagnosed with both CAD and depression are 59 percent more likely to develop future cardiovascular issues.3

May is Mental Health Month. It is recognized with community outreach events and educational opportunities to promote importance of understanding, recognizing, and focusing mental health issues and conditions within the community.

According to NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness), millions of Americans each year are living with mental illness.4 NAMI’ s theme for Mental Health Awareness Month 2022 is “Together for Mental Health”. Even though there are many different options available to help screen and treat mental health conditions, about two-thirds of the individuals that have a mental health condition never talk to their health care provider or obtain treatment for their condition.

Depression screening is part of the Initial Preventive Physical Examination (IPPE) and the Annual Wellness Visit (AWV). It is a Medicare-covered benefit for your patients. Talk to your patients about their mental health, encourage them to schedule annual wellness visit , perform depression screenings as indicated, and provide effective treatment and follow-up after depression screenings to promote optimal mental health and well-being in your patients.

To learn more about Medicare-covered services, visit CMS Preventive ServicesExternal Website

For More Information:

References:

  1. Learn About Mental Health - Mental Health - CDC. (2018, January 26). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/learn/index.htmExternal Website
  2. Mental Health Awareness Month: The Facts You Should Know. (2018, May 16). GoMo Health.
    https://gomohealth.com/2018/mental-health-awareness-month-the-facts-you-should-know/External Website
  3. Heart disease and depression: A two-way relationship | National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). (2017, April 16). Nih.gov.
    https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/news/2017/heart-disease-and-depression-two-way-relationshipExternal Website
  4. Mental Health Month | NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness. Nami.org.
    https://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/learn/index.htmExternal Website

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