Mental Health

A recent study has linked behavior problems in children to mothers who have suffered from mental illness. According to the study, twenty-two percent of mothers who have mental illnesses and give birth produce children who are likely to develop behavioral problems by the age of three. These behavioral problems are often defined by hyperactivity, aggression or depression.

Another study done recently by the Canadian Institute for Health Information found that patients who were diagnosed with the mental illness of schizophrenia were discharged prematurely by hospitals. Schizophrenia, a brain disorder that causes hallucinations, affects about three hundred thousand people in Canada. It was determined through the study that twelve percent of patients discharged with schizophrenia were readmitted on average a month later. The study concluded that the longer the patient stayed initially, the greater the reduction in the return rate.

Mental health ailments can affect anyone. The treatment of some patients with mental illness can present a challenge for the attending physician, because some patients can be very difficult to handle and could possibly cause bodily harm to themselves or other patients. A common practice in some States in America was to lock the individual away for months or years. However, the practice of isolating individuals with mental illness for an extended period of time was deemed unconstitutional by the United States Supreme court.

Another issue for patients with mental illness is health care cost associated with the illness. Unfortunately, people in the United States diagnosed with a mental illness were paying more out of pocket costs for their mental illness compared to those with other medical conditions. People with mental health conditions were essentially unfairly discriminated against by Health insurance companies. To help assist patients with mental illness, the United States Congress has enacted legislation that will be effective in 2010 which requires parity insurance coverage for mental health.