Mentally ill people with means-tested benefits at the job center : Diagnosis spectrum and care-First results from the LIPSY project

Abstract

Although people receiving means-tested benefits are regularly taken care of at the job center, little is known about their mental health situation and mental health care. The aim of the study was to describe the diagnostic spectrum and the functional status as well as the mental health care utilization of individuals with mental illnesses who are receiving means-tested benefits. Mentally ill people with means-tested benefits were recruited at the job center as part of the "Leipzig Individual Placement and Support for Mentally Ill People" (LIPSY) project, where they were initially diagnosed according to ICD-10 and included in the project if they had amental disorder. Mental healthcare utilization was recorded. In the present study, data from n = 583 consecutively included persons were analyzed descriptively and by multivariate statistics. Of the study participants 60.7% (n = 583; 51.5% female; average age36years; unemployed for an average of 4.8years) suffered from affective disorders, followed by neurotic, stress and somatoform disorders (42.5%). With amean global assessment of functioning (GAF) value of 49.4 (SD 7.7), there was on average aserious impairment. Nearly half of the subjects (48.5%) had never received psychotherapeutic, psychiatric or neurological treatment in the 6 months prior to inclusion in the project. It could be shown that there is abroad spectrum of mental disorders with substantial functional impairment. The data suggest that this group is significantly undertreated and difficult to reach.