Early Psychosis Care Center Newsletter

A significant reason for these poor health outcomes is that individuals with SMI receive care that is often of lower quality than that of the general population^{reference 4} and several key barriers stand in their way. One common type of low-quality care includes "diagnostic overshadowing.”^{reference 4,5} This happens when a doctor mistakenly assumes a person’s physical symptoms are just part of their mental illness. For example, a doctor might dismiss an individual’s complaints of chest pain as anxiety, when it’s also a sign of heart disease. This can lead to physical health problems being diagnosed late or not treated at all.

On top of this, the symptoms of the mental illness itself can make it hard to manage one’s health. Issues like lack of motivation, memory problems, and difficulty with planning can prevent individuals from making or keeping doctor’s appointments.^{reference 6} Combined with challenges like poverty and social stigma, these barriers create a perfect storm that keeps people from getting the life-saving care they need.^{reference 7}

A large body of evidence shows that integrated care is highly effective.

• Better Management of Chronic Illness: Integrated care programs have been shown to significantly lower blood sugar levels in individuals with diabetes, reduce blood pressure, and lower levels of bad cholesterol. This can lead to a significant reduction in a person’s overall 10-year risk of heart disease.^{reference 10}
• More Preventive Care: Individuals in integrated care programs are more likely to receive routine cancer screenings, vaccinations, and wellness checks. This helps catch serious health issues early, before they become life-threatening.^{reference 10}
• More innovative Healthcare Use: When care is not coordinated, people with mental illness often end up in the emergency room for issues that could have been handled in a doctor’s office.^{reference 11} Integrated care helps change this pattern. Studies of programs, such as the Medicaid Health Home, show that integrated care programs successfully decrease expensive hospital stays while increasing the use of more effective and proactive outpatient care.^{reference 10}

Addressing a person’s mental and physical health at the same time makes sense. For example, treating a patient’s depression can improve their ability to take their diabetes medication correctly. Managing someone’s chronic pain can, in turn, help ease their anxiety.