New Survey Shows Rural Pennsylvanians Face Lack of Mental Health Care - Observer-Reporter

A new survey of residents in rural parts of the United States, including rural Pennsylvania, shows many face challenges in accessing mental health care and treatment.

The data from Russell Research was conducted on behalf of Rural Minds, a national nonprofit organization focused on advocating for rural mental health equity. The survey questioned 1,500 people living in a rural county in either Pennsylvania, North Carolina or Florida about the barriers they face in accessing treatment and attitudes about efforts to increase access to care. Findings based on interviews with 500 Pennsylvania residents show:

– Eighty-one percent of Pennsylvania respondents have one or more barriers to accessing health care and mental health treatments, including high out-of-pocket costs, a shortage of physicians, psychiatrists and psychologists, poor to nonexistent internet service, long distances to medical services; self-imposed barriers include a cultural reluctance to ask for help, a lack of trust, and isolation.

– Forty-seven percent of Pennsylvania residents are unaware of programs that can help such as the Medicare Prescription Drug Plan or patient assistance programs offered by pharmaceutical companies.

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