Research & Publications
Relationship Between Social Determinants of Health and Hospitalizations and Costs Among Patients with Bipolar Disorder 1
Summary
Bipolar disorder type 1 (BD-1) is a severe mental illness that can be influenced by various social determinants of health (SDOH). This study analyzed 243,286 patients with BD-1 to assess the impact of SDOH on hospitalizations and healthcare costs. The patient cohort included 25.5% with commercial insurance and 74.5% with Managed Medicaid.
Medicaid patients, who typically have lower income, had higher rates of hospital stays and emergency department (ED) visits, leading to greater healthcare costs. Notably, Medicaid patients with limited English proficiency had fewer hospitalizations and lower costs, whereas commercially insured patients with similar language barriers experienced higher hospitalizations and costs. These findings indicate that Medicaid patients face significant barriers to accessing necessary care, highlighting the importance of addressing SDOH to improve health outcomes and equity in mental healthcare for patients with BD-1.
Why This Matters
This study highlights the importance of addressing social risk factors to advance health equity in treatment of mental illness.
