Study harnesses “big data” to identify individual and community-level characteristics associated with debilitating mental illness.
New York, NY – Serious mental illnesses (SMIs), such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depression, often emerge during young adulthood. If untreated, these disorders can lead to significant impairment and negative outcomes for people as they struggle to maintain relationships, employment, housing and hope. A new study of young adult Medicaid recipients in New York State, lead authored by NYU Silver PhD Candidate and Adjunct Instructor Aaron Rodwin, revealed that those who live in rural areas and those who have experienced homelessness were more likely to have SMIs. Professor Michelle Munson was the study’s senior author.
The research team harnessed “big data” to zero in on subsets of young adults 18-34 enrolled in Medicaid in New York State who may be at especially high risk of developing SMIs. The study, published in the Journal of Adolescent Health, found that 8.3% of that group overall had SMIs. The prevalence was higher among those who experienced homelessness or lived in rural zip codes throughout New York State.
“A strength of the study is its attention to both individual (e.g., homelessness) and community-level (e.g., rural residence) factors that may be associated with SMI,” said Mr. Rodwin. “These findings contribute to a growing body of literature demonstrating the importance of addressing social determinants of health and enhancing community-level resources to decrease potential unmet mental health needs among young adults enrolled in Medicaid.”
One surprising finding was that young adults living in zip codes with more economic distress were less likely to be diagnosed with SMI. “The finding is interesting; however, more research is needed to unpack the potential barriers,” said Dr. Munson. “Indeed our future qualitative research is set to explore this in more detail.”
The study, funded by the NYU Silver’s Constance and Martin Silver Center for Data Science and Social Equity, is part of a larger, three-study project led by Dr. Munson in collaboration with the New York Office of Mental Health. The project team is leveraging multiple data sources and data science techniques to address gaps in knowledge on young adult mental health. Sources used include New York State Medicaid data, Economic Innovation Group’s Distressed Communities Index, Health Resources and Service Administration’s Area Health Resource File, and New York Department of Homeless Services data. The researchers aim to generate evidence that can inform state-level mental health policies and services.
This project is a collaboration among health services researchers, data scientists, and health policy experts. In addition to Mr. Rodwin and Dr. Michelle Munson, co-authors of the study are Dr. Sadiq Patel of Waymark and University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Molly Finnerty of NYU Grossman School of Medicine and New York State Office of Mental Health, and Drs. Deborah Layman, Qingxian Chen and Junghye Jeong of New York State Office of Mental Health.
About NYU Silver School of Social Work
Founded in 1960 and renowned for a strong tradition of excellence in direct social work practice and dedication to social justice, NYU Silver has provided rigorous training to more than 20,000 social work practitioners and leaders in every area of the field, making it the leading destination for students who want to become innovative practitioners at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels of social work practice. The School has four campuses in the heart of New York City, Rockland County, Westchester County, and Shanghai.