Am J Psychiatry 1975; 132:710-715
Copyright © 1975 by American Psychiatric Association
Obstacles to utilization of prepaid mental health care
MA Glasser, TJ Duggan and WS Hoffman
The coverage of out-of-hospital expenses for mental health care through
prepayment and insurance programs has been a major advance in removing the
economic barriers to early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of mental
disorders. However, obstacles to obtaining treatment block many eligible
people from receiving help. The authors conducted a study among members of
the United Auto Workers union to identify these roadblocks. Among the
obstacles were differences in perceptions of need for treatment and in
attitudes toward treatment, and lack of awareness of eligibility for
benefits among three key groups - consumers, referral agents, and
providers. The authors urge psychiatry to help in removing these obstacles.
