CDC: Mental Health related ER Visits Up 14% - The Alliance for Rights and Recovery

ER Visits For Mental Health Disorders Up 14% Between 2008 & 2009

Open Minds September 4, 2012

Between 2008 and 2009, emergency department visits for mental health disorders made by the non-institutionalized civilian population in the United States increased by 14.5%, from 4.1 million mental health-related visits in 2008, to 4.7 million visits in 2009. During this same time period, the U.S. non-institutionalized civilian population increased by about one-percent, from 298.2 million in 2008, to 300.5 million in 2009. Between 2008 and 2009, the total number of emergency department visits increased by 10%, from 123 million to 136 million. In 2008, the 4.1 million visits due to mental disorders represented 3.3% of visits that year. In 2009, the 4.7 million visits due to mental disorders represented 3.5% of visits that year. Mental health disorders were among the top 10 reasons for emergency department visits.

These are findings of “National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey: 2009 Emergency Department Summary Tables,” an annual report released by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The 2009 National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey was conducted from December 29, 2008 through December 27, 2009. The survey sought data from 389 hospitals with emergency departments; of those 356 participated. Additional findings were as follows:

About 22% of emergency department visits in 2009 were due to injuries or poisoning
About 3.4% of visits were due to infectious and parasitic diseases.
About 12% of emergency department visits were made for respiratory problems.
About 30% of visits were due to diseases of other specific body systems—diseases of the muscles, bones, or connective tissue were the cause of 6% of visits; diseases of the digestive system were the cause of 5.9% of visits; diseases of the genitourinary system were the cause of 5% of visits; diseases of the nervous system and sense organs were the cause of 4.8% of visits; diseases of the circulatory system were the cause of 3.5% of visits; diseases of the skin were the cause of 3.4% of visits; endocrine, metabolic, or immunity disorders were the cause of 1.6% of visits.
About 14.7% of visits were due to chronic diseases such as cerebrovascular disease/history of stroke (2.5% of visits), congestive heart failure (3.0% of visits), a condition requiring dialysis (0.9% of visits), HIV/AIDS (0.5% of visits), and diabetes (7.8% of visits).
Nearly 20% of emergency department visits were made by people concerned by symptoms or signs of ill-defined conditions (ICD-9 codes 780-799).

The number of emergency department visits per 100 persons in the non-institutionalized civilian population increased from 42 in 2008 to 46 in 2009, and there were more visits per 100 in most age brackets.

Hospital Emergency Department Visits Per 100, By Age Bracket 2008 & 2009

Age Bracket	2008 Visits Per 100	2009 Visits Per 100
Under 18 years	38	45
18-44 years	46	49
45-54 years	36	39
55-64 years	32	35
65-74 years	38	41
75 years +	68	66
Total for all ages	42	46

A link to the full text of “National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey: 2009 Emergency Department Summary Tables” may be found in The OPEN MINDS Circle Library at www.openminds.com/library/081512stratcdc2009erdata.htm.

A link to the full text of “National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey: 2008 Emergency Department Summary Tables” may be found in The OPEN MINDS Circle Library at www.openminds.com/library/081511ervisits2008.htm.

For more information, contact: Media Relations, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, Georgia 30333; 404-639-3286; Fax: 404-639-7394; E-mail: media@cdc.gov; Web site: www.cdc.gov.

ER Visits For Mental Health Disorders Up 14% Between 2008 & 2009. (2012, September 3). OPEN MINDS Weekly News Wire.

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