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How Do Mental Health Treatment Delays Impact Long-Term Mortality?

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  • Sydney Costantini

Abstract

With a growing mental health crisis and a shortage of behavioral health specialists, those seeking mental health treatment often face long wait times to obtain care. I study how clinic congestion affects mortality for veterans experiencing mental health emergencies. I find that longer waiting times make it more likely that patients miss their follow-up mental health visit, consequently increasing the probability that they permanently disengage from care. A 1 standard deviation increase in wait time between the emergency department visit and follow-up appointment date (11.7 days) increases two-year mortality by about 1.5 percent.

Suggested Citation

  • Sydney Costantini, 2025. "How Do Mental Health Treatment Delays Impact Long-Term Mortality?," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 115(5), pages 1672-1707, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:aecrev:v:115:y:2025:i:5:p:1672-1707
    DOI: 10.1257/aer.20240226
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • H51 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Government Expenditures and Health
    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • I13 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Insurance, Public and Private
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health

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