MRA Alerts and Updates: How Do We Activate Engagement in Mental Health Patients?

Did you know?

The National Institute of Mental Health reports that 1 in 4 adults - approximately 57.7 million Americans - experience a mental health disorder in a given year – and less than half get help.

1 in 17 Americans live with a serious mental illness.

The World Health Organization has reported that 4 of the 10 leading causes of disability in the US and other developed countries are mental disorders. By 2020, Major Depressive illness will be the leading cause of disability in the world for women and children.

The U.S. Surgeon General reports that 10% of children and adolescents in the United States suffer from serious emotional and mental disorders that cause significant functional impairment in their day-to-day lives at home, in school and with peers.

Without treatment the consequences of mental illness for the individual and society are staggering: unnecessary disability, unemployment, substance abuse, homelessness, inappropriate incarceration, suicide and wasted lives;

With appropriate effective medication and a wide range of services tailored to their needs, most people who live with serious mental illnesses can significantly reduce the impact of their illness and find a satisfying measure of achievement and independence.

The economic cost of untreated mental illness is more than $100 billion each year in the United States.

Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting 40 million adults in the United States age 18 and older (18% of U.S. population).

Anxiety disorders are highly treatable, yet only about 1/3 of those suffering receive treatment.

People with an anxiety disorder are 3 to 5 times more likely to go to the doctor and 6 times more likely to be hospitalized for psychiatric disorders than those who do not suffer from anxiety disorders.

What is Patient Activation and Why is it Important?

‘Patient activation’ is a widely recognized concept. It describes the knowledge, skills and confidence a person has in managing their own health and health care.

Highly activated patients are more likely to adopt healthy behavior, to have better clinical outcomes and lower rates of hospitalization, and to report higher levels of satisfaction with services.

People who have low levels of activation are less likely to play an active role in staying healthy. They are not very good at seeking help when they need it, at following their doctor’s advice or at managing their health. Their lack of confidence and their experience of failing to manage their health often means that they prefer not to think about it.

Patients with low activation levels are also more likely to seek treatment in emergency rooms, and are more likely to be hospitalized or to be re-admitted to hospital after being discharged.

Build Self-Efficacy to Activate Engagement

Self-efficacy pertains to an individual’s belief in their capacity to successfully learn and perform a specific behavior. A strong sense of self-efficacy leads to a feeling of control and to the willingness to take on (and persist with) new and difficult tasks.

When applied to health, this concept suggests that patients are empowered and motivated to manage their health problems when they feel confident about their ability to achieve their goal.

Improving Mental Health with mHealth Games

Is your organization looking ways to educate, engage or assess your membership?

Do you work with patients recovering from drug and alcohol dependence?

Are you a provider looking for innovative ways to connect with your patients outside of the clinic?

Are you an insurer on the health exchange in need of patient generated data?

Is your health plan or hospital looking to improve quality or satisfaction scores?

If you answered yes to any of those questions - we can help!

Our virtual learning environments provide patients with free on demand access to disease education, self-assessments, games, simulations and interactions that build self-confidence and equip them with the knowledge and skills necessary to become an active partner in their health care.

Click on any picture below to play:

Crack the Case

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