CHARACTERISTICS OF RETENTION IN BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES IN PRIMARY CARE

Le résumé fourni par la source

One role of behavioral health clinicians in primary care is to engage patients in brief solution-focused therapy for behavioral health problems identified during medical visits. While some patients choose not to return to sessions following these visits, other patients return to behavioral health services for multiple sessions. The purpose of the present research was to determine the demographic and psychosocial traits of patients over the age of 50 who choose to follow up with behavioral health services following initial contact with a clinician in a primary care setting. Archival data was analyzed from a system of federally qualified health centers in Colorado. A sample of patients above the age of 50 who returned for additional behavioral health services beyond one visit was identified (N = 1751). On average, patients attended 5 (SD = 5.20) behavioral health sessions. The mean age of patients was 60.58 years (SD = 7.62). The majority were Caucasian (66.3%), followed by Hispanic/Latino (13.4%), Black/African American (8.9%), Native American/American Indian (1.3%), and other/unknown (10.1%). More than half of patients who returned for services were opioid users (54.9%). A relatively small number were homeless (6.4%). Patients were single (38.4%), followed by divorced (23.9%), married (26.8%), and widowed (8.3%). Findings suggest opioid use is related to retention in behavioral health services. This information can be used to identify patients less likely to attend follow up sessions and work to increase engagement in behavioral health services.

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