Physical illness likely to affect mental health: study

By Tooba Altaf Jul 26th, 2012 ( No Comment )

People with any kind of physical disease are three times more likely to seek mental health care than the ones without such issues.

The findings highlight the need of coordination between health care for physical ailments and mental issues.

This study was published in the online edition of Health Services Research and conducted by Jangho Yoon et al.

The study took data from over 6000 people in 2004 and 2005. None of the participants had any physical and health issues back then.

These people were then analysed on the basis of their current health status. And the result showed three times more link between the physical diseases and mental health.

Jangho Yoon, lead author of the study and a health policy economist who specialises in mental health policy issues at Ohio State University in Columbus, said, “The interplay between our physical and mental health has long been suspected.

“No large-scale studies existed that showed the statistical proof of this correlation.”

The study also discovered that people who take their physical diseases very seriously are more likely to search for some health care.

Yoon shared his own experience, saying, “When I have backache, I feel stressed. And if it impacts my ability to work or to do my usual activities, then I can feel upset or even a bit depressed.”

He is also of the opinion that screening patients with physical illness for mental health care would make sure the cure of a potential disease and it will also save the time of both doctor and patient.

And the most important part, according to him, is that coordinated care and early health facilitation will lead to the better treatment and improved health of the patients.