title: Linking level of care to level of need. Assessing the need for mental health care for nursing home residents.
abstract: What are the mental health status and active treatment needs of nursing home residents? A stratified random sample of 828 residents in 25 facilities serving Medicaid recipients was assessed for levels of physical and psychosocial functioning. Although 91.2% had sufficiently high levels of medical and physical care needs to justify nursing home placement, 79.6% also had moderate to intense needs for mental health care. Older residents, relative to their younger counterparts, had more intense medical and mental health care needs. It was also found that psychiatric diagnosis was a poor indicator of mental health service needs, particularly among elderly individuals.
authors.forename: F L
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Newman
authors.forename: B P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Griffin
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Black
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Page
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006302:Health Services Research / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006707:Homes for the Aged / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008484:Medicaid; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis; D008605:Mental Health Services; D008875:Middle Aged; D009735:Nursing Homes / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States; D014589:Utah