More Adults Go to Psychiatrist, Not PCP, for Mental Healthcare

A data brief published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics says people 65 years and older more often visit mental health-related physician offices than primary care physicians (PCPs), reports HealthDay News . The researchers used data from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey to study adult mental health-related physician office visits by specialty and selected visitor characteristics. They determined the rate of mental health-related physician office visits to psychiatrists was higher than the rate to PCPs overall among adults aged 18 years and older, and for all age groups except those 65 and older. The rate of mental health-related office visits to psychiatrists was higher than visits to PCPs for both men and women. In rural regions, the percentage of mental health-related office visits to psychiatrists was lower than to PCPs, while it was higher in large metropolitan areas. "These results together may indicate that older adults, who are also more likely to use Medicare, are as likely to visit a primary care physician as they are a psychiatrist for mental health-related issues," the investigators note.