Severe psychological distress and disability, 2008 NHIS

Introduction/Background: Serious psychological distress (SPD) has previously been linked to activity limitations, especially among those with co-occurring chronic conditions. Although people with a disability (PWD) have also been shown to be more likely to experience SPD than those without, the prevalence of SPD among specific types of disability is unknown. Methods: Data from the 2008 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) were used to estimate the prevalence of SPD among adults aged ≥18 years with different types of disabilities including limitations in social, work, self-care, movement, sensory, and cognitive function. Results: Some 3.1% of all adults reported SPD within the last 30 days. Respondents in each disability category reported a statistically significantly higher level of SPD than did those without the limitation (p<0.001 for each group). Adults with cognitive difficulty, social limitation, or self-care limitation most frequently experienced SPD (31.1%, 26.6% and 21.6%, respectively). Those with sensory or movement difficulty experienced the least SPD (7.6% and 11.8%, respectively). The range of SPD for the respondents without the limitations was from 1.3% (no movement limitation) to 2.4% (no self care limitation or no cognitive limitation). Conclusion: This study determined that although PWD frequently report SPD, the experience is different for different types of disabilities. Mental health interventions aimed at PWD should take these differences into account to most effectively reach this population.