Mental illness impacts millions of people every year. Despite the growing awareness of mental health issues, many patients still face stigma around their experiencesand diagnoses.
According to the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI), about 1 in 5 American adults experience mental illness every year — more than 42 million people. Roughly 1 in 20 American adults experience serious mental illness. A serious mental illness is one that causes significant impairment, interfering with or limiting at least one majorlife activity.
It’s crucial to understand the mental health crisis so that we can develop new clinical preventive measures, interventions, devices, and procedures to help those living with psychological conditionsor symptoms.
Definitive Healthcare tracks millions of mental health diagnoses at healthcare facilities. Below, we’ve compiled a list of the top 10 mental health diagnoses by total volumeof diagnoses.
Top 10 most common mental healthdiagnoses
Rank | ICD-10Code | Description | % of total mental health diagnoses inU.S. | % of principal mental health diagnoses inU.S. | % of secondary mental health diagnoses inU.S. |
1 | F411 | Generalized anxietydisorder | 8.7% | 8.6% | 8.7% |
2 | F1120 | Opioid dependence,uncomplicated | 7.6% | 7.4% | 2.8% |
3 | F419 | Anxiety disorder,unspecified | 7.5% | 7.5% | 10.2% |
4 | F331 | Major depressive disorder, recurrent,moderate | 3.8% | 3.7% | 2.9% |
5 | F4310 | Post-traumatic stress disorder,unspecified | 2.8% | 2.8% | 2.9% |
6 | F32A | Depression,unspecified | 2.6% | 2.7% | 4.0% |
7 | F17210 | Nicotine dependence, cigarettes,uncomplicated | 2.5% | 2.6% | 4.2% |
8 | F329 | Major depressive disorder, single episode,unspecified | 2.4% | 2.4% | 2.9% |
9 | F902 | Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, combinedtype | 2.2% | 2.2% | 1.8% |
10 | F1020 | Alcohol dependence,uncomplicated | 1.8% | 1.8% | 1.4% |
Fig. 1 Data is from the Definitive Healthcare Atlas All-Payor Claims product for the 2022 calendar year. Data is accurate as of August2023.
What is the #1 most diagnosed mentaldisorder?
The top diagnosis is ICD-10 code F411, “generalized anxiety disorder.” It accounted for 8.7% of all mental health diagnoses in 2022. Two of the top ten diagnoses were anxiety disorders, with the second being code F419, anxiety disorder, unspecified. It comprised 7.5% of all mental health diagnoses in2022.
Anxiety disorders, mood disorders, and diagnoses related to substance use took up eight of the top 10spots.
Three of the top ten spots are mood disorders (F331, F32A, and F329), comprising 3.8%, 2.6%, and 2.4% of all mental health diagnoses of 2022,respectively.
Lastly, diagnoses related to substance use occupied three spots, including codes F1120 (7.6%), F17210 (2.5%), and F1020(1.8%).
Were there more primary mental health diagnoses or secondarydiagnoses?
From the table above, there weren’t any significant differences in primary and secondary mental health diagnoses. The notable exception is opioid dependence, as it accounted for 7.4% of primary diagnoses, but only 2.8% of all secondarydiagnoses.
The difference in primary and secondary codes may possibly indicate that healthcare providers diagnose certain substance use conditions in conjunction with another condition, likely that being the reason for a patient’s initial visit. In the case of opioids, the patient may be seeing the doctor to treat issues related to nausea, constipation, slowed breathing, or otherconcerns.
How did the COVID-19 pandemic impactmental health?
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health worsened across populations. A study published in Brain, Behavior, and Immunity found evidence of a multitude of mental healtheffects, including:
- Decreased psychological well-being across thegeneral public
- Patients with COVID-19 displayed high levels of PTSS and higher levelsof depression
- Higher levels of psychiatric symptoms amonghealthcare workers
- Patients with pre-existing psychiatric symptoms experienced worsenedpsychiatric symptoms
Telehealth andmental health
Although mental health worsened during the pandemic, telehealth also expanded in mental healthcare. Telehealth significantly increases access to mental health services. In particular, telehealth reduces the stress and anxiety around seeking care, improves the accessibility of services for people living with neurological or physical impairments, and provides a private and engaging environmentfor patients.
Learn more
Mental health will undoubtedly remain an incredibly prevalent and essential area of healthcare as we strive toward better psychological health. Healthcare commercial intelligence can help you stay current with industry trendsand developments.
