Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #121256

Lucinda Z. Frost, PsyD, Susan Y. Chao, MS, Christopher J. Phillips, MD, MPH, and Vincent P. Fonseca, MD, MPH. Population Health Support Division, Air Force Medical Support Agency, AFMSA/SGOZ, 2509 Kennedy Circle, Brooks City-Base, TX 78235, 210-536-3875, lucinda.frost@brooks.af.mil

A protocol for extracting, analyzing and reporting coded medical claims/encounter behavioral health (BH) data for the active duty Air Force (ADAF) population was developed to provide a systematic method for BH surveillance and research. This included: developing a schema for grouping behavioral health-related ICD-9 CM diagnostic codes using the outpatient and inpatient medical claims/encounter data for ADAF personnel (Codes are grouped into major BH diagnostic types.); establishing analysis methods; defining visits, admissions, selection criteria, exclusions, and handling of missing data and multiple diagnoses; selecting socio-demographic and occupational stratum-specific injury rates to be reported; and developing a standardized report format. This protocol was pilot-tested using 2001 ADAF personnel and medical claims/encounter data. Hospitalization rates were reported as admissions per 1000 person-years and outpatient visit rates as visits per 100 person-years. Pilot study results revealed: the top 5 outpatient groupings (affective: depression, alcohol substance disorders, counseling, observation and evaluation, and anxiety, accounting for 67% of all mental health related visits); the top five inpatient groupings (affective: depression, adjustment disorders, alcohol substance disorders, affective: other and anxiety, accounting for nearly 90% of all mental health related admissions); an overall annual behavioral health prevalence rate of 14.0%; and that mental health visit, admission and prevalence rates varied substantially by sex, age, rank, marital status and career field. 2003 data analyses are currently underway and will be presented as an annual summary of the injury claims/encounter data in the same manner as the 2001 pilot study results.

Learning Objectives:

• After consideration of the poster presentation, the viewer will be able to describe a systematic method for BH surveillance and research using medical claims and encounter data. In addition, the viewer will be able to describe the top 5 behavioral health diagnostic groupings, both inpatient and outpatient, in the USAF.

Keywords: Epidemiology, Mental Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.