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Approximately 2 out of 5 young adults receive prescription medication as sole mental health service

Prescription services were the most common type of mental health service received among young adults aged 18 to 25 years in 2014, according to a recent report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

According to 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health data, 11.9% of young adults aged 18 to 25 years received mental health services in the past year, representing an annual average of 4.1 million young adults. Of these, 3.1 million received prescription medication, 2.2 million received outpatient services and 418,000 received inpatient services.

Regarding combinations of types of mental health services, approximately 4.4% of young adults who received mental health care received prescription, outpatient and inpatient services in 2014, compared with 26.8% who received prescription and outpatient services, 42.3% who received prescription only services and 26.5% who received other service combinations.

“This means that roughly 2 out of 5 (42.3%) young adults who received mental health services in [2014] are receiving prescription medication as their only mental health service,” the researchers wrote.

Reference:

http://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/report_1974/Spotlight-1974.html