PURPOSE: This study examines trends in mental health service use among 18- to 64-year-old adults with serious mental illness (SMI).
METHODS: Data are from approximately 22,200 adults with SMI who participated in the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, an annual nationally representative survey of the U.S. civilian, noninstitutionalized population. A regression restricted spline modeled the trend in mental health service use by age among adults with SMI.
RESULTS: Approximately 20 to 50% of adults with SMI did not receive past-year mental health services. The odds of past-year service use increased by 3% per year until age 52 years.
CONCLUSIONS: From age 18 to 52 years, age incrementally increases the likelihood that an adult with SMI makes treatment contact.
