The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #35968

Aileen B. Rothbard, ScD, Center for Mental Health Policy and Services Research, University of Pennsylvania, 3535 Market Street, #3014, Philadelphia, PA 19104, 215 349 8707, abr@cmhpsr.upenn.edu

Administrative data developed by public and private insurers contain a comprehensive record of service utilization and costs of services for a particular population, as well as demographic information for enrollees. These data systems are attractive because they are comprehensive, inexpensive, easy to use, and contain a large number of cases. The range of agreement for diagnostic accuracy of clinical charts compared to claims data is wide (54% to 100%). Accuracy of service provision and service dates also vary greatly (50% to 99.7%) however accuracy increases with larger windows around the date of service provision thus explaining some of the range. This presentation will examine several studies using administrative data in Philadelphia, predominately Medicaid. Other data sets that are linked to Medicaid include data from clinical outcome studies and secondary data from State MH and SA agencies, criminal justice, homeless shelter data, welfare services, etc. The studies include determination of treated prevalence, longitudinal follow up of state hospital discharge populations, the impact of the implementation of mandatory managed care within state Medicaid programs for persons with severe mental illness, trends in the use of psychotropic drugs, racial disparity in anti-psychotic drug prescriptions, and the impact of Medicaid reform on substance abusers.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) will be able to

1)identify uses of administrative data for epidemiology and public mental health planning,
• Articulate limitations and threats to validity in these uses, and
• Develop a plan for use of administrative data for planning in their home community.

Keywords: Data/Surveillance, Public Mental Health

Related Web page: www.uphs.upenn.edu/cmhpsr/

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Center for Mental Health Policy and Services Research, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.