The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #45356

Robert James Rydman, PhD¹, Marjory Lewe-Brady, MSW², William Coats, MSW², Lana Peters, PhD², David Christiansen, MBA², and Yilmaz Yildirim, MD MPH³. (1) Department of Emergency Medicine, Cook County Hospital/Rush University, 1900 W. Polk St. 10th floor, Chicago, IL 60612, 312-996-8010, rjrydman@uic.edu, (2) Dupage County Health Department, 111 N County Farm Road, Wheaton, IL 60185, (3) HPA School of Public Health, University of Illinois, 1603 W Taylor Street, Chicago, IL 60612

Background: During 2001, a consortium of 17 public and private agencies received funding to plan and expand services for untreated depression. The scope and size of the initiative exceeds most national demonstration activity for any given local area, and in this regard is unique. A multimethod assessment of community and consortium agency market areas was undertaken. Methods: Assessments included: 1) depression case enumeration using synthetic estimation procedures based on the 2000 census; 2) case service utilization based on a meta-analysis of the scientific literature; 3) a 14 indicator social risk analysis based on population heterogeneity and family composition from the NIH health demographic profile system; and 4) extant market penetration of consortium agencies (n=17) using a 10% treated prevalence sample. All spatial epidemiologic data above were plotted using a geographic information systems (GIS) approach. Results: Service area 2000 population totaled 904,161. Six-month period prevalence was estimated at 39,049 adults (5.9%), and 10,882 children (4.5%). Projected utilization of care among adults was 17.6% (n=6,873) likely to use a mental health specialist. Market penetration of consortium agencies (55%) and the county health department (20%) totaled 75% of those likely to use a mental health specialist. Spatial distribution of social risk, treated and untreated depression, and market penetration will be illustrated using GIS maps. Conclusion: A multimethod assessment yielded information necessary for a public/private consortium to plan culturally sensitive interventions aimed at de-stigmatization, mobilization of general / specialty care medical providers, enhanced screening for case finding, and strategic expansion of service capacity.

Learning Objectives:

• Attendees will learn 5 discrete need assessment techniques;
• Attendees will learn how to do large area need assessments for depression programs;
• Attendeea will learn the latest techiniques in psychiatric epidemiology for achieving consensus of need and programming for large geographic areas

Keywords: Depression, Needs Assessment

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
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.