ER Visits and Mental Health

Millions of ED visits related to mental disorders, a substance abuse problem, or both.
The Los Angeles Times (7/9, Stein) "Booster Shots" blog reported, "Out of 95 million visits made to emergency rooms by adults in the US in 2007, 12 million, or 12.5%, had to do with mental disorders, a substance abuse problem, or both," according to a report recently released "by the US Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, part of the Department of Health and Human Services." Specifically, "the top five conditions that made up 96% of all the mental health/substance abuse cases were (in order) mood disorders, anxiety disorders, alcohol disorders, drug disorders, schizophrenia and other psychoses, and intentional self-harm."