Changes in instrumental activities of daily living functioning associated with concurrent common mental disorders and physical multimorbidity in older adults

Polypharmacy Prevalence Among Older Adults Based on the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe: An Update

Polypharmacy, a common condition among the older population, is associated with adverse outcomes, including higher mortality, falls and hospitalization rates, adverse drug reactions, drug-drug interactions, medication nonadherence, and consequently increased healthcare costs. Background/Objectives: This study aims to explore the prevalence of polypharmacy and its associated factors among older adults across 27 European countries and Israel. Methods: In this cross-sectional analysis, we used data from participants aged 65 years or older from Wave 9 of the Survey of Health, Aging, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) database. The variables studied were classified into the following categories: sociodemographic, behavioral factors, physical functioning, physical health, mental health, and living conditions. Results: Our results showed an overall prevalence of polypharmacy of 36.2%, ranging from 25.0 to 51.8%. Slovenia, Greece, and Switzerland were the countries with the lowest prevalence, whereas Portugal, Israel, and Poland were the countries where the prevalence of polypharmacy was the highest. Polypharmacy was shown to be associated with variables from all categories. Conclusions: Polypharmacy is a highly prevalent condition in the older population. Identification of variables associated with polypharmacy, such as those identified in this study, is important to identify and monitor older groups, which are most vulnerable to polypharmacy. Interventions designed to reduce polypharmacy should consider these associations.

Impact of household size and co-resident multimorbidity on unplanned hospitalisation and transition to care home

The ability to manage ill health and care needs might be affected by who a person lives with. This study examined how the risk of unplanned hospitalisation and transition to living in a care home varied according to household size and co-resident multimorbidity. Here we show results from a cohort study using  Welsh nationwide linked healthcare and census data, that employed multilevel multistate models to account for the competing risk of death and clustering within households. The highest rates of unplanned hospitalisation and care home transition were in those living alone. Event rates were lower in all shared households and lowest when co-residents did not have multimorbidity. These differences were more substantial for care home transition. Therefore, living alone or with co-residents with multimorbidity poses additional risk for unplanned hospitalisation and care home transition beyond an individual's sociodemographic and health characteristics. Understanding the mechanisms behind these associations is necessary to inform targeted intervention strategies.

The importance of including a mental health dimension in a multimorbidity indicator: an analysis of Belgian health survey data

BACKGROUND

Multimorbidity is a rising public health concern. Indicators that address these complex health conditions are often exclusively devoted to physical diseases. Because of their high disease burden, mental health disorders ought to be considered as well. This paper aims to measure the added value of including a mental health dimension in a population-based multimorbidity indicator and identify which mental health measures are most appropriate.

METHODS

Secondary analyses were conducted on data from the Belgian Health Interview Survey 2018. We compared the prevalence of different multimorbidity indicators (MIs) in relation to health impact measures, such as quality of life (EQ-5D score) and activity limitation (GALI). The MIs differed as to the health conditions involved: one was based on physical conditions only; the other three included mental health dimensions that were either self-reported or assessed by a scale (GAD-7, PHQ-9, and GHQ-12). We performed linear and logistic regressions to assess the association between the MIs and the health correlates and compared the goodness of fit of the different models.

RESULTS

MI prevalence was higher when including a mental health dimension assessed with the GHQ-12 (42.0%) and with the GAD-7 or the PHQ-9 (39.4%) as compared to physical conditions only (35.0%). Associations between the MI and health correlates were consistently stronger if the MI included a mental health dimension. The regression models with MI including the GAD-7 and PHQ-9 showed the strongest association between MI and the health correlates and also had the best goodness-of-fit measures.

CONCLUSIONS

MIs that only take physical conditions into account underestimate their impact on individuals' lives. Including mental ill-health in an MI is key to linking it to health correlates.

Bidirectional, longitudinal associations between depressive symptoms and IADL/ADL disability in older adults in China: a national cohort study

INTRODUCTION

Based on the data from the China Health and Retirement longitudinal study (CHARLS), we aimed to investigate the bidirectional relationship between depressive symptoms and functional disability.

METHODS

Data were collected across 3 waves from 2013 to 2018. The activities of daily living (ADLs) and the instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) scales were used to measure functional disability and the CESD-10 was used to measure depressive symptoms. Cross-lagged models were performed to examine cross effect between depressive symptoms and functional disability across three waves.

RESULTS

Data on 10,092(mean [SD] age, 61.98[8.44] years; 3764 females [37.30%]) and 10,180 participants (mean [SD] age, 62.01[8.46] years; 3788 females [37.21%]) in IADL sample and ADL sample were included in the analyses. For IADL disability, the cross-lagged model shows a bidirectional association across three waves; the multivariable GEE model revealed that changes in CESD-10 score across waves were associated with worse IADL disability (β ranges: 0.08-0.10) and vice versa, worsen of IADL disability ascending developing of CESD-10 score (β ranges: 0.09-0.10). For ADL disability, the cross-lagged model shows a bidirectional association across three waves; the multivariable GEE model revealed that changes of CESD-10 score across waves were associated with worse IADL disability (β ranges: 0.08-0.10) and vice versa, worsen of IADL disability ascending developing of CESD-10 score (β ranges: 0.09-0.10).

DISCUSSION

Study findings underscore a significant bidirectional between depressive symptoms and functional disability in older adults. Thus, simultaneous intervention should be taken to manage the mutual development of functional disability and depression.

Multimorbidity and associated informal care receiving characteristics for US older adults: a latent class analysis

BACKGROUND

Older adults with varying patterns of multimorbidity may require distinct types of care and rely on informal caregiving to meet their care needs. This study aims to identify groups of older adults with distinct, empirically-determined multimorbidity patterns and compare characteristics of informal care received among estimated classes.

METHODS

Data are from the 2011 National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS). Ten chronic conditions were included to estimate multimorbidity patterns among 7532 individuals using latent class analysis. Multinomial logistic regression model was estimated to examine the association between sociodemographic characteristics, health status and lifestyle variables, care-receiving characteristics and latent class membership.

RESULTS

A four-class solution identified the following multimorbidity groups: some somatic conditions with moderate cognitive impairment (30%), cardiometabolic (25%), musculoskeletal (24%), and multisystem (21%). Compared with those who reported receiving no help, care recipients who received help with household activities only (OR = 1.44, 95% CI 1.05-1.98), mobility but not self-care (OR = 1.63, 95% CI 1.05-2.53), or self-care but not mobility (OR = 2.07, 95% CI 1.29-3.31) had greater likelihood of being in the multisystem group versus the some-somatic group. Having more caregivers was associated with higher odds of being in the multisystem group compared with the some-somatic group (OR = 1.09, 95% CI 1.00-1.18), whereas receiving help from paid helpers was associated with lower odds of being in the multisystem group (OR = 0.36, 95% CI 0.19-0.77).

CONCLUSIONS

Results highlighted different care needs among persons with distinct combinations of multimorbidity, in particular the wide range of informal needs among older adults with multisystem multimorbidity. Policies and interventions should recognize the differential care needs associated with multimorbidity patterns to better provide person-centered care.

Changes in instrumental activities daily living limitations and their associated factors according to gender in community-residing older adults: A longitudinal cohort study

BACKGROUND

Increases in dependence among older adults cause increases in care needs and social care burden. Instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) are often used to assess the independence of older adults residing in communities. Various factors affect IADL limitations, but few studies confirm gender differences in IADL limitations in older adults. This study explored the changes in incidence of IADL limitations across 14 years and identified the factors associated with IADL limitations according to gender among older adults in Korea.

METHOD

This study uses secondary data analysis with 2006-2020 data from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging (KLoSA), a longitudinal cohort study. Among the total 10,254 participants, 1,230 adults aged 65 years and over who met the criteria were included in the final analysis. For each IADL item, a limitation was defined when the response was partial or complete dependence. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to identify the factors (in 2006) associated with IADL limitations in 2020.

RESULTS

The mean age of the participants at baseline was 69.64 years (SD 3.93), and 61.0% of participants were female. Total scores for IADL limitations increased gradually across 14 years in all participants, and observed changes were statistically significant. The top three ranked items of IADL limitations differed according to gender in 2020: the top limitations in men were preparing meals, laundry, and using public transportation, and the top limitations in women were using public transportation, going out, and handling money. Factors associated with total IADL limitations were grip strength in men and age, dementia, fear of fall, and grip strength in women. Factors associated with the top three ranked items of IADL limitations differed according to gender.

CONCLUSION

The incidence of IADL limitations gradually increased in all participants over a 14-year period. In older adults in Korea, gender differences were confirmed in the factors associated with IADL limitations, as well as in the main limited activities. To minimize IADL limitations in community-residing older adults, it is necessary to plan tailored interventions.

Is the combination of depression symptoms and multimorbidity associated with the increase of the prevalence of functional disabilities in Brazilian older adults? A cross-sectional study

Introduction: Functional disabilities are more prevalent in older adults with multimorbidity and depression. However, few studies have investigated the combination of multimorbidity and depression with functional disability. This study aims to verify whether symptoms of depression and multimorbidity combined increase the prevalence of functional disability in Brazilian older adults. Material and methods: This is a cross-sectional study conducted with data from the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Aging (ELSI-Brazil) baseline examination in 2015-2016 in adults aged 50 years and older. The variables included were basic (BADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), depressive symptoms, multimorbidity (≥2 chronic diseases), sociodemographic variables, and lifestyle. Logistic regression was performed to estimate crude and adjusted odds ratios. Results: A total of 7,842 participants over 50 years of age were included. Of these, 53.5% were women and 50.5% were between 50 and 59 years old, 33.5% reported ≥4 depressive symptoms, 51.4% had multimorbidity, 13.5% reported difficulty in performing at least one BADL, and 45.1% reported difficulty in performing the IADL. In the adjusted analysis, the prevalence of difficulty on BADL was 6.52 (95% CI: 5.14; 8.27) and on IADL was 2.34 (95% CI: 2.15; 2.55), higher for those with depression and multimorbidity combined when compared with those without these conditions. Conclusion: The combination of symptoms of depression and multimorbidity may increase functional impairments in the BADL and IADL of Brazilian older adults, impairing self-efficacy, independence, and autonomy. Early detection of these factors benefits the person, their family, and the healthcare system for health promotion and disease prevention.

Is There Evidence of an Association Between Acute Health Care Utilization and Function in Older Adults Over Time? A Population-Based Cohort Study

Background and Objectives

Acute health care use varies by age, with older adults the highest users of acute health care services. Using data from The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA), the aim of this study was to investigate the association between acute health care utilization (emergency department [ED] visit with or without hospitalization) at baseline and subjective and objective measures of function measured at 4-year follow-up.

Research Design and Methods

This study represents a secondary analysis of a prospective cohort study, where data from Wave 1 (baseline) and Wave 3 of TILDA were analyzed in conjunction with a public and patient involvement group of older adults. Acute health care utilization was defined as an ED visit with or without hospitalization in the previous 12 months. Function was assessed objectively using the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test and a measure of grip strength, and subjectively using self-report limitations in activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental ADL (IADL).

Results

A total of 1 516 participants met the study inclusion criteria. Mean age was 70.9 ± 4.6 years and 48% were male. At baseline, 1 280 participants reported no acute health care use. One hundred and eighteen indicated an ED visit but no hospitalization in the previous 12 months and 118 reported both an ED visit and hospitalization. Adjusting for all covariates, compared to those with no acute health care utilization, those with an ED visit with no hospital admission had poorer TUG performance at follow-up (β = 0.67, 95% confidence interval: 0.34, 1.29, p = .039).

Discussion and Implications

This paper supports previous research that acute health care events, specifically ED usage, are associated with reduced function for older adults as assessed by TUG at follow-up. No associations were observed for grip strength, ADL, or IADL. Further research is required in this area, exploring ED visits and the possible benefits of evaluating older adults at this stage.

Minimally Adequate Treatment for Depression and Anxiety Associated With Mortality in Primary Care Older Adults

OBJECTIVE

To assess the association between receipt of minimally adequate treatment (MAT) and mortality in a sample of community primary care older adults with depression and anxiety.

METHOD

The present study was conducted among a sample of 358 older adults ( ≥ 65 years old) with depression or an anxiety disorder recruited in primary care practices between 2011 and 2013. Participants agreed to link their health survey and administrative data for the 3 years preceding and following the baseline interview. Depression and anxiety disorders were based on self-reported symptoms aligned with DSM-5 criteria and physician diagnoses (International Classification of Diseases [ICD], 9^th and 10^th revisions). MAT was defined according to Canadian guidelines and include receipt of pharmacotherapy and ≥ 4 medical visits within 3 months or a number of psychotherapy sessions (individual, group, or family) over 12 months (depression: ≥8; anxiety disorders: ≥5 to 7). All-cause 3-year mortality was ascertained from the vital statistics death registry in Québec. Propensity score weighted regression analysis was conducted to assess the association between receipt of MAT and mortality adjusting for individual, clinical, and health system study factors.

RESULTS

Receipt of MAT was associated with a reduced risk of mortality (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.27; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.12 to 0.62). Individual and clinical factors associated with increased mortality included older age, male sex, being single, low functional status, and increased physical disorders and cognitive functioning. Lifestyle factors associated with reduced and increased mortality included alcohol consumption and smoking, respectively. Health system factors such as perceived adequate number of visits to speak to the doctor about emotional problems and continuity of care were associated with reduced mortality.

CONCLUSION

The current study highlights the important role of primary care physicians in detecting and providing MAT for older adults with depression and anxiety, as this may have an effect on longevity.

Pain, functional disability and mental disorders as potential mediators of the association between chronic physical conditions and suicidal ideation in community living older adults

OBJECTIVES

To examine the associations between chronic physical conditions and suicidal ideation and to assess whether associations are mediated by pain, anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSS), and functional disability.

METHODS

The study sample includes 1533 older adults aged 65+ recruited in primary care clinics between 2011-2013 and participating in Quebec's Health Survey on Services "Étude sur la Santé des Aînés-Services" (ESA-S) study. Path analysis was used to assess the associations. The presence of suicidal behaviour was ascertained using 4 questions. PTSS was based on a validated scale for primary care older adults. Anxiety and depression were assessed according to DSM-IV criteria. Pain was self-reported on an ordinal scale and functional disability was based on the presence of disability in 8 dimensions of activities of daily living. The main predictors included a list of 13 physical disorders identified by diagnostic codes. Suicidal ideation was also controlled by a number of socio-demographic and psychosocial factors.

RESULTS

PTSS, depression, and functional disability mediate the association between various chronic conditions and suicidal ideation. Although pain and anxiety are associated with many physical disorders, they did not mediate the association with suicidal ideation.

CONCLUSIONS

Chronic physical disorders are associated with suicidal ideation, either directly or indirectly through PTSS, depression, and functional disability. The findings underscore the importance of early identification and management of older patients with specific chronic disorders in primary care as they may be most at risk for suicidal ideation.

Information Communication Technology as Instrumental Activities of Daily Living for Aging-in-Place in Chinese Older Adults With and Without Cognitive Impairment: The Validation Study of Advanced Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale

Background

The capability in applying information communication technology (ICT) is crucial to the functional independence of older peoples of community living nowadays. The proper assessment of individuals' capability of ICT application is the corner stone for the future development of telemedicine in our aging population.

Methods

With the recruitment of 300 participants of different functional and social background in home-living, hostel-living, and care-and-attention home living; and through assessing the ability of individuals in instrumental activities of daily living and cognitive assessments, this study aimed at capturing the content validity and construct validity of the Advanced Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (AIADL scale). In addition, this study assess the ability of older peoples in applying ICT and how the functional and social background affects their independence in aging-in-place.

Results

The AIADL scale showed good test-retest reliability and good-to-excellent internal consistency. To determine if items of the AIADL scale measure various aspects of community living, exploratory factor analysis revealed a two-factor structure with “home living and management” and “community living”. Validity analysis with the known-groups method showed a high overall accuracy of prediction of individuals' capability of independent living in the community.

Conclusions

The AIADL scale is a valid and reliable instrument to assess the ability of older adults in handling ICT as part of their instrumental activities in daily living. The scale can reflect capability of older peoples in applying ICT. This instrument can serve as a reference in measuring readiness of individuals in receiving telemedicine and their ability of aging-in-place.

Factors associated with late-life psychosis in primary care older adults without a diagnosis of dementia

PURPOSE

The epidemiology of late-life psychosis (LLP) remains unclear comparatively to early-onset psychosis. The study aims to estimate the prevalence and incidence of LLP over a 3-year period and examine the correlates of LLP in community-living older adults aged ≥ 65 years recruited in primary care.

METHODS

Study sample included N = 1481 primary care older adults participating in the Étude sur la Santé des Aînés (ESA)-Services study. Diagnoses were obtained from health administrative and self-reported data in the 3 years prior and following baseline interview. The prevalence and incidence of LLP (number of cases) were identified in the 3-year period following interview. Participants with dementia or psychosis related to dementia were excluded. Logistic regressions were used to ascertain the correlates of LLP as function of various individual and health system factors.

RESULTS

The 3-year prevalence and incidence of LLP was 4.7% (95% CI = 3.64-5.81) and 2.8% (95% CI = 1.99-3.68), respectively. Factors associated with both prevalent and incident LLP included functional status, number of physical diseases, hospitalizations, continuity of care and physical activity. Older age and the presence of suicidal ideation were associated with incident LLP, while higher education, a depressive disorder and a history of sexual assault were associated with persistent cases.

CONCLUSIONS

Results highlight the importance of LLP in primary care older adult patients without dementia. Health system factors were consistent determinants of prevalent and incident LLP, suggesting the need for better continuity of care in at-risk primary care older adults.

Prevalence, Structure, and Risk Factors for Mental Disorders in Older People

This review focuses on assessing the prevalence and risk factors of mental disorders in older people in the modern era, including the COVID-19 pandemic. A systematic review of the literature was conducted in PubMed, Elsevier, and Google using keywords over the past 10 years. Substantial discrepancy of data on the prevalence of psychiatric disorders has been shown in the elderly population. The significant incidence of mental disorders among nursing home residents is highlighted. The relevance of nonpsychotic depressive and anxiety disorders is demonstrated for the elderly, along with the difficulty of diagnosing mental disorders associated with physical pathology and cognitive impairments. The risk factors for mental disorders in older adults are socio-demographic but also economic, psychological, and physical. The problem of mental health of the elderly is characterized for the conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic associated with specific risk factors for psychiatric disorders. The shortage of evidence-based research in the treatment of mental disorders in the elderly and the urgency to improve the organization of psychiatric care for such patients are noted. Understanding the structure and prevalence of mental disorders among the elderly will allow optimizing the functioning of healthcare systems.

Treatment adequacy and remission of depression and anxiety disorders and quality of life in primary care older adults

BACKGROUND

Studies on the long-term outcomes of receiving adequate treatment for depression and anxiety disorders are scarce. The aims of this study were to assess the association between adequacy of care and remission of common mental disorders (CMD) and change in quality of life among a population of older adults consulting in primary care.

METHODS

The study was conducted among 225 older adults with a CMD who participated in the longitudinal ESA-Services study. Adequacy of care was assessed using administrative and self-reported data and was based on Canadian guidelines and relevant literature. CMD were measured at baseline and follow-up using self-reported measures (DSM-5 criteria) and physician diagnostic codes (International Classification of Diseases, 9^th and 10^th revisions) for depression and anxiety disorders. The remission of CMD was defined by the presence of at least one disorder at baseline and absence at follow-up. Quality of life was measured at baseline and follow-up using a visual analog scale and the Satisfaction With Life Scale. To estimate the probability to receive adequate/inadequate care, a propensity score was calculated, and analyses were weighted by the inverse probability. Weighted multivariable analyses were carried out to assess the remission of CMD and change in quality of life as a function of adequacy of care controlling for individual and health system factors.

RESULTS

Results showed that 40% of older adults received adequate care for CMD and 55% were in remission at follow-up. Adequacy of care was associated with remission of CMD (AOR: 0.66; CI 0.45-0.97; p-value: 0.032). Participants receiving adequate care had an improvement between baseline and follow-up of 0.7 (beta: 0.69, CI 0.18; 1.20, p = 0.008) point on the Satisfaction With Life Scale, while a marginal association was observed with improvement in HRQOL (beta: 2.83, CI 0.12; 5.79, p = 0.060).

CONCLUSION

The findings contribute to the rare observational studies on the association between adequacy of care for CMD and long-term treatment effects. Future studies on population effectiveness should focus on patient indicators of quality of care which may better predict long-term outcomes for patients with depression and anxiety.

Functional limitations in people with multimorbidity and the association with mental health conditions: Baseline data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA)

INTRODUCTION

Increasing multimorbidity is often associated with declining physical functioning, with some studies showing a disproportionate impact on functioning when mental health conditions are present. More research is needed because most multimorbidity studies exclude mental health conditions.

OBJECTIVES

This study aims to improve our understanding of the association between functional limitation and multimorbidity, including a comparison of those with multimorbidity that includes versus excludes mental health conditions.

METHODS

This is a population-based, cross-sectional analysis of data from The Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging. Functional limitation was defined as the presence of any of 14 activities of daily living (ADLs) or instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs). Multimorbidity, measured by the number of chronic conditions, included mood and anxiety disorders. Logistic regression explored the association between multimorbidity (with and without mental health conditions) and functional limitation. Factor analysis identified common condition clusters to help understand clinical complexity in those with mood/anxiety disorders and the potential influences on functional limitation.

RESULTS

There were 51,338 participants, with a similar proportion of men and women (49% versus 51%) and 42% age 65 years or older. Fifteen percent (15%) had no chronic conditions and 17% had 5+. Ten percent (10%) reported at least one ADL or IADL limitation. Odds ratios (ORs) for functional limitation increased with multimorbidity and were generally higher for those with versus without mental health conditions (e.g., ORs from 1 to 5+ chronic conditions increased 1.9 to 15.8 for those with mood/anxiety disorders versus 1.8 to 10.2 for those without). Factor analysis showed that mood/anxiety conditions clustered with somatic conditions (e.g., migraines, bowel/gastrointestinal disorders).

CONCLUSION

This study found higher odds of functional limitation for those with multimorbidity that included versus excluded mental health conditions, at all levels of multimorbidity. It highlights the need for concurrent management of mental and physical comorbidities to prevent functional limitations and future decline. This approach is aligned with the NICE clinical assessment and management guidelines for people with multimorbidity.

Validity and reliability of the G8 screening test in older non-cancer patients

PURPOSE

A comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) is a time-consuming approach that requires a special team and a screening test, whereas the G8 screening test is a practical and validated test for screening cancer patients. This study aimed to evaluate the validity and reliability of the G8 test in older patients without cancer and to investigate its concordance with CGA in an outpatient clinic.

METHODS

Two hundred older patients were included in the study. CGA and G8 tests were performed, and the concordance between them was evaluated for scale validity using Spearman correlation coefficients (r) and kappa analyses. Patients who obtained scores lower than the predefined cutoff values in at least one of the CGA tests were considered to have an abnormal CGA. Inter-rater and intra-rater concordance were assessed for reliability.

RESULTS

Of the 200 patients, 57.4% were female, and the median age was 73 (63-93) years. There was a strong concordance between the CGA and G8 screening test (kappa: 0.630; p < 0.001). Inter-rater and intra-rater concordance in the reliability assessments were high (kappa: 0.886; kappa: 875; p < 0.001, respectively), and inter- and intra-clinician assessments of the G8 scores revealed significant correlations (r = 0.962 and r = 0.976, respectively; p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The G8 screening test is a valid and reliable tool for older adults without malignancy. It is a quick and practical test for physicians who frequently admit older patients.

Pandemics and Mental Health: an Unfortunate Alliance

Mental health issues not only affect the person but society as a whole. This is especially apparent during times of pandemics or other social unrest situations as currently seen during the COVID-19 crisis. It can manifest itself as violence (towards or from the mentally ill person), increased substance use, increased overcrowding of our prisons, tackling with comorbid medical conditions which have worsened due to lack of initial attention (a particularly big problem among the mentally ill), increased strain on tax payers, and overall affecting the quality of everyone’s life. Furthermore, mental health maladies can cause increase work absenteeism and poor work performance and decreased economic productivity. The stigma associated with mental health also leads to poor funding form policy makers, as there is a lack of forceful advocacy in dealing with these issues. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that the loss of productivity due to mental health disability accounts to close to 5% of the gross national product of the European Union (WHO 2019). One of the most crucial causes of lack of mental screening, recognition, and treatment is the limited availability of mental health trained providers. The physician assistant profession is in a unique role to fill this niche as they have been trained as generalists who specialize only when getting trained in their specific field during their employment. Additionally, the fact that PAs do have lateral mobility does lend this profession to meet the needs of society, especially in the psychiatric fields, in a prompt and competent manner. The need for physician assistants (PAs) in psychiatry and addiction medicine is a nationwide trend resulting in existing and emerging shortages of psychiatric and addiction medicine providers. They can provide relatively inexpensive, easily accessible, and good quality care to their clients.