Healthcare resource utilization in bipolar depression compared with unipolar depression: results of a United States population-based study.
BACKGROUND
This study examined healthcare utilization in the past year by subjects who screened positive for bipolar versus unipolar depression.


METHODS
A self-administered survey was completed in 2002 by a United States population-based sample. Respondents were categorized into one of three subgroups: bipolar depressed screen positive (BP DEP+, n=394); unipolar depressed screen positive (UP DEP+, n=794); and control subjects (n=1,612).


RESULTS
For depressive symptoms in the past year, BP DEP+ respondents were significantly more likely than UP DEP+ respondents to report a healthcare visit to a number of diverse care providers. In analyses controlled for demographics and depression severity, the differences in psychiatric hospitalization, psychologist/counselor outpatient visit, substance abuse/social services visit, and number of emergency room visits remained significant between BP DEP+ and UP DEP+ respondents.


CONCLUSIONS
Subjects with self-reported bipolar depression sought care more often from a number of diverse healthcare resources than subjects with self-reported unipolar depression. These findings underscore the morbidity associated with bipolar depression.
Frye
Mark A
MA
Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA. mfrye@mednet.ucla.edu
Calabrese
Joseph R
JR
Reed
Michael L
ML
Hirschfeld
Robert Ma
RM
D000328:Adult; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D003710:Demography; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006295:Health Resources / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods; D015995:Prevalence; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology