Behavioral health needs and problem recognition by older adults receiving home-based aging services.
OBJECTIVE
Older adults' recognition of a behavioral health need is one of the strongest predictors of their use of behavioral health services. Thus, study aims were to examine behavioral health problems in a sample of older adults receiving home-based aging services, their recognition of behavioral health problems, and covariates of problem recognition.


METHODS
The study design was cross-sectional. Older adults (n = 141) receiving home-based aging services completed interviews that included: Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV; Brief Symptom Inventory-18; attitudinal scales of stigma, expectations regarding aging, and thought suppression; behavioral health treatment experience; and questions about recognition of behavioral health problems.


RESULTS
Thirty (21.9%) participants received an Axis I diagnosis (depressive, anxiety, or substance); another 17 (12.1%) were diagnosed with an adjustment disorder. Participants were more likely to recognize having a problem if they had an Axis I diagnosis, more distress on the BSI-18, family member or friend with a behavioral health problem, and greater thought suppression. In logistic regression, participants who identified a family member or friend with a behavioral health problem were more likely to identify having a behavioral health problem themselves.


CONCLUSIONS
Findings suggest that older adults receiving home-based aging services who recognize behavioral health problems are more likely to have a psychiatric diagnosis or be experiencing significant distress, and they are more familiar with behavioral health problems in others. This familiarity may facilitate treatment planning; thus, older adults with behavioral health problems who do not report familiarity of problems in others likely require additional education.
Department of Aging and Mental Health, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, University of South Florida, FL, USA. agum@fmhi.usf.edu
Amber M
AM
Gum
Andrew
A
Petkus
Sarah J
SJ
McDougal
Melanie
M
Present
Bellinda
B
King-Kallimanis
Lawrence
L
Schonfeld
D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D015438:Health Behavior; D006299:Health Services for the Aged; D006304:Health Status; D006699:Home Care Services / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D020380:Needs Assessment; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data