Very little research has examined the prevalence of serious mental illness (SMI) and access to mental health treatment among rural relative to urban adults in the U.S. This project provided estimates of the prevalence and correlates of SMI and access to mental health services among rural and urban adults nationally. To address these issues, we analyzed data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, the nation's primary source of annual information on mental health. The project has important and timely federal policy relevance as the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has identified serious mental illness as a priority topic.

Publications

• Serious Mental Illness and Mental Health Treatment Utilization Among Adults Residing in Non-Metropolitan and Metropolitan Counties
  Policy Brief
  Rural and Underserved Health Research Center
  Date: 02/2022
  This report estimates and compares the prevalence of mental health treatment utilization and reasons for not seeking mental health treatment among adults with serious mental illness residing in non-metropolitan and metropolitan counties nationally.