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Policy, Politics, & Nursing Practice, Vol. 6, No. 3, 236-245 (2005)
DOI: 10.1177/1527154405279195
© 2005 SAGE Publications

Practice Patterns and Potential Solutions to the Shortage of Providers of Older Adult Mental Health Services

Nancy P. Hanrahan, PhD, RN

Center for Health Outcomes and Policy Research, School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania

Eileen M. Sullivan-Marx, PhD, RN, FAAN

practice and community affairs, Healthy Community Practice, School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania

Little is known about the contribution of advanced practice nurses (APNs) to the mental health care of older adults. This study describes mental health services to older adults by APNs compared with primary care physicians, psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers. The study uses a retrospective, cross-sectional design with a 5% national sample of 1999 Medicare outpatient claims. Bivariate statistics and multinomial logit models were used to determine differences among these mental health providers. A small proportion of the nationally available providers (10.4%) submitted claims for mental health services rendered to older adults. APNs, psychiatrists, and primary care physicians care for a disproportionate number of rural and poor older adults with complex medical/psychiatric needs compared with psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers. APNs seem to be an untapped resource for providing mental health services to older adults. Health policy reform is needed to remove barriers to meet mental health care needs.

Key Words: advanced practice nurse • psychiatrist • mental illness • aging • workforce • medicare


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