OLDER ADULTS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROFILES

REGION 5

MN

IN

MI

WI

IL

OH

ILLINOIS

INDIANA 

MICHIGAN 

MINNESOTA 

OHIO

WISCONSIN

A Behavioral Health Resource

SAMHSA’s State Technical Assistance Contract 

August 2016
OLDER ADULTS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROFILES

OVERVIEW

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration 

recognizes the importance of behavioral health for older adults and 

the key role states and communities play in addressing the needs of this 

vital and growing population. Administrators need clear and concise 

information to plan, implement, and evaluate effective prevention and 

treatment efforts in their states. 

The Older Adults Behavioral Health Profiles help states and communities 

identify focus areas for behavioral health plans, select population-level 

goals, and coordinate and target services to address priority issues. The 

profiles compare state trends with those in the region and the nation. 

State and community administrators, planners, and providers can use 

the information in these profiles and their own data, knowledge, and 

experience to establish and implement policies that improve the 

health and future of our valued older citizens.

Disclaimer: Data were current at the time this document was prepared.

Developed under the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s State Technical Assistance 

Task Order. Reference #HHSS283201200002I/Task Order No. HHSS28342002T.
OLDER ADULTS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROFILE

Illinois
OLDER ADULTS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROFILE

ILLINOIS’ POPULATION

Illinois Population by Age Group

Illinois is home to 12,880,580 people. 

Of these:

• 4,327,442 (33.6 percent) are over age 50.

• 2,528,593 (19.6 percent) are over age 60.

• 1,206,802 (9.4 percent) are over age 70.

• 481,321 (3.7 percent) are ages 80 and

older.

The proportion of women rises fairly 

steadily in each age group, and women 

make up 63.9 percent of the 80+ group. 

The racial/ethnic composition of older 

Illinoisans is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity of Illinoisans 

Ages 50+

White AI/AN Black Asian NH/PI Other Hispanic

82.0% 0.4% 12.7% 4.3% 0.0% 0.7% 8.4%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2015

AI/AN stands for American Indian and Alaska Native. 

NH/PI stands for Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander.

825 876 907 864 843 879

629

323

174

794

838

886 864 856

919

693

403

307

0

200

400

600

800

1,000

1,200

1,400

1,600

1,800

2,000

0 to 9 10 to 19 20 to 29 30 to 39 40 to 49 50 to 59 60 to 69 70 to 79 80+

Male Female

Exhibit 1. Illinois Population by Age Group, 2014

Population in 1,000s

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2015

The Number of Older Illinoisans Is Growing

The proportion of Illinois’ population 

that is 65 and older is growing while 

the proportion that is younger than 65 

is shrinking. The U.S. Census Bureau 

estimates that 18.0 percent of Illinois’ 

population will be 65 and older by the 

year 2030, an increase of 35.7 percent 

from 2015.

Projected Population in Illinois

Age Group 2015 2025 2030

Under 18 24.5% 24.5% 24.3%

18 to 44 36.6% 35.6% 35.1%

45 to 64 25.3% 23.3% 22.6%

65+ 13.6% 16.7% 18.0%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2005

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030

Under 18 18 to 44 45 to 64 65+

Exhibit 2. Illinois Population by Age Group, 2000–2030

Population in 1,000s

August 2016

Illinois
2

Illinois Illinois Profile 2016

SUICIDE AMONG OLDER ILLINOISANS

Illinois Suicide Rate Compared With Regional and National Rates

The suicide rate among Illinoisans ages 

50 and older is higher than the rate 

among younger age groups. In 2013, the 

total suicide rate among all people ages 

50+ was 13.5 per 100,000 people (5.2 

for women and 23.3 for men). The rate 

among those ages 50–64 was lower than 

both the rate in the region (including 

Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and 

Wisconsin) and the rate in the United 

States.

States vary in their reporting of suicides. 

The suicide rate is influenced by these 

reporting practices.

10.3

8.6

14.7

11.9

12.7

11.0

17.2

14.0

13.0

10.6

19.0

16.1

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

All Under 50 50 to 64 65+

Illinois Region 5 U.S.

Exhibit 3. Suicide Rates in Illinois, Region 5, and the 

United States, 2013

Suicide Rate per 100,000 Population

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Center 

for Health Statistics (NCHS), Underlying Cause of Death 1999-2013 on CDC 

WONDER Online Database, released 2015

Trends in Suicide Rates in Illinois

The suicide rate among Illinoisans 

ages 50+ fluctuated from a low of 

10.3 per 100,000 in 2004 and 2006 to 

a high of 13.9 per 100,000 in 2012. 

From 2004 to 2013, the rate was 

highest among those in the 50–64 

age group.

How a state reports suicides can 

vary from year to year. The number 

of suicides is generally low, so even a 

small difference in reported numbers 

may make the rate fluctuate widely.

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

All ages Under 50 50+ 50 to 64 65+

Exhibit 4. Trends in Suicide Rates in Illinois by Age Group, 

2004–2013

Suicide Rate per 100,000 Population

Source: CDC, NCHS, Underlying Cause of Death 1999-2013 on CDC WONDER 

Online Database, released 2015
Alabama ALABAMA Profile 2015 Illinois Illinois Profile 2016

3

SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER 

TREATMENT AMONG OLDER ILLINOISANS

30-Day Binge Drinking Among Older Illinoisans

Binge drinking, defined as five or more 

drinks for men and four or more drinks for 

women on a single occasion, can lead to 

serious health problems. Such problems 

include neurological damage, cardiovascular 

disease, liver disease, stroke, and poor 

control of diabetes. Binge drinkers are 

more likely to take risks such as driving 

while intoxicated and to experience falls 

and other accidents. Older people have a 

lower tolerance for alcohol. Binge drinking 

decreases with age and occurs more 

frequently among men than it does among 

women. As Exhibit 5 shows, 25.3 percent 

of Illinois men ages 50–64 reported 

binge drinking in the past 30 days, while 

6.9 percent of those in the 65+ group 

reported similar behavior. 

36.0%

25.3% 

6.9%

21.8%

13.2%

2.3% 0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

18 to 49 50 to 64 65+

Male Female

Exhibit 5. Binge Drinking Rates in Illinois by Age Group 

and Sex, 2013

Proportion of Population Engaging in Binge Drinking

Source: Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), 2013

Illicit Drug Use Among Older Americans

Nationally, the rate of illicit drug use 

among older adults ages 50–64 more 

than doubled from 2002 to 2013. 

This development partially reflects the 

entrance into this age group of the 

baby boom cohort, whose rates of 

illicit drug use have been higher than 

those of older cohorts. Although statespecific data are not available, the 

Illinois Behavioral Health Barometer 

is available for download from the 

Substance Abuse and Mental Health 

Services Administration (SAMHSA) 

website (www.samhsa.gov/data 

/population-data-nsduh 

/reports?tab=33). 0%

1%

2%

3%

4%

5%

6%

7%

8%

9%

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

50 to 54 55 to 59 60 to 64

Exhibit 6. Illicit Drug Use Among Older Americans, 

2002–2013

Proportion Using in Past Month

Source: National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 2013

Illicit drug use includes illegal drugs and prescription drugs used nonmedically. SAMHSA 

provides a list of drugs included in its survey in the NSDUH methodological summary.
4

Illinois Illinois Profile 2016

Admissions to Substance Use Disorder Treatment Among Older Illinoisans

In 2012, there were 5,035 admissions 

of Illinoisans ages 50 and older 

to substance use disorder (SUD) 

treatment in state-funded treatment 

programs, a rate of 116.4 per 100,000 

people ages 50+. This rate was lower 

than the regional rate and the national 

average. Men made up 65.5 percent 

of these admissions. Of all admissions, 

35.5 percent were White/Caucasian, 

60.0 percent were Black/African 

American, and 6.9 percent were 

Hispanic.

The principal sources of referral to 

treatment among those ages 50 and 

older were: 

Self-Referral Criminal Justice Other

42.3% 20.9% 36.8%

164.6

285.9

383.2

74.7

111.0 120.3

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

Illinois Region 5 U.S.

Male Female

Exhibit 7. SUD Treatment Admissions of Adults Ages 50+ 

in Illinois, Region 5, and the United States by Sex, 2012

SUD Admission Rate per 100,000 Population

Source: Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS), 20121

1

 TEDS data are collected by states as a condition of the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant. Guidelines suggest that states report all clients 

admitted to publicly financed treatment; however, states are inconsistent in applying the guidelines. States may structure and implement different quality controls 

over the data. For example, states may collect different categories of information to answer TEDS questions. Information is then “walked over” to TEDS definitions.

Data include only those clients reported to SAMHSA.

SUD Treatment Admissions Among Illinoisans Ages 50+ by Insurance Type 

In Illinois, 61.2 percent of older adult 

admissions to SUD treatment were 

uninsured, 32.0 percent had Medicaid, 

4.9 percent had Medicare, and 

2.0 percent had private insurance.

SUD Treatment Admissions Among 

Illinoisans Ages 50+ by Primary Sources 

of Payment

Self-Pay Medicaid Other

5.2% 84.7% 10.1%

Self-pay data include private insurance.

Exhibit 8 and the accompanying text reflect the type of 

health insurance (if any) clients had at admission; the table 

above represents primary sources of payment.

2.0%

32.0%

4.9%

61.2%

3.9%

25.9%

10.2%

59.9%

14.9%

20.4%

10.8%

53.9%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Private Medicaid Medicare None

Illinois Region 5 U.S.

Exhibit 8. SUD Treatment Admissions of Adults Ages 50+ 

in Illinois, Region 5, and the United States by Insurance 

Type, 2012

Proportion of SUD Treatment Admissions of Adults Ages 50+ by Insurance Type

Source: TEDS, 2012

Data include only those clients reported to SAMHSA.
Alabama ALABAMA Profile 2015 Illinois Illinois Profile 2016

5

Alcohol Use Disorder Treatment Admissions Among Illinoisans Ages 50+

Alcohol was the most frequently cited 

substance used by older Illinoisans in 

publicly financed SUD treatment in 

2012. It was mentioned as a substance 

of use in 40.7 percent of admissions 

among those ages 50+. This was lower 

than the regional and national rates.

40.7%

62.1% 62.1%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

Illinois Region 5 U.S.

Exhibit 9. Alcohol Use Treatment Admissions of Adults 

Ages 50+ in Illinois, Region 5, and the United States, 2012

Proportion of Treatment Admissions 50+ With Primary Alcohol Use Disorder

Source: TEDS, 2012

Data include only those clients reported to SAMHSA.

SUD Treatment Admissions for Non-Alcohol Substance Use

Substances other than alcohol were 

cited as the primary substances of 

use for 59.3 percent of older adult 

admissions to publicly funded 

treatment in Illinois.

59.3%

37.9% 37.9%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Illinois Region 5 U.S.

Exhibit 10. Non-Alcohol Substance Use Treatment 

Admissions of Adults Ages 50+ in Illinois, Region 5, and 

the United States, 2012

Proportion of Treatment Admissions 50+ With Other Primary Substance Use Disorder

Source: TEDS, 2012

Data include only those clients reported to SAMHSA.
6

Illinois Illinois Profile 2016

Drug-Related Emergency Department Visits Involving Pharmaceutical Misuse 

and Abuse by Older Adults

SAMHSA periodically releases reports from the Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN). DAWN, discontinued 

in 2011, consisted of a nationwide network of hospital emergency departments (EDs) primarily located in 

large metropolitan areas. DAWN data consist of professional reviews of ED records to determine the extent 

to which alcohol and other substance abuse was involved in ED visits. According to the November 25, 2010, 

DAWN Report:

• In 2004, there were an estimated 115,803 ED visits involving pharmaceutical misuse and abuse by adults 

aged 50 or older; in 2008, there were 256,097 such visits, representing an increase of 121.1 percent 

• One fifth (19.7 percent) of ED visits involving pharmaceutical misuse and abuse among older adults were 

made by persons aged 70 or older 

• Among ED visits made by older adults, pain relievers were the type of pharmaceutical most commonly 

involved (43.5 percent), followed by drugs used to treat anxiety or insomnia (31.8 percent) and 

antidepressants (8.6 percent) 

• Among patients aged 50 or older who visited the ED for pharmaceutical misuse or abuse, more than half 

(52.3 percent) were treated and released, and more than one third (37.5 percent) were admitted to the 

hospital 

Bulleted text in italics above is taken from SAMHSA’s Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality. (2010, November 25). The DAWN Report: Drugrelated emergency department visits involving pharmaceutical misuse and abuse by older adults. Rockville, MD: SAMHSA.

CO-OCCURRING SUBSTANCE USE AND MENTAL DISORDERS

Older Illinoisans in SUD Treatment With Co-Occurring Mental Disorders

The national literature shows a strong 

relationship between substance use 

and mental disorders. Studies show 

that 30–80 percent of individuals with a 

substance use or mental disorder also 

have a co-occurring disorder.

Exhibit 11 shows the proportion 

of SUD treatment admissions of 

Illinoisans ages 50+ with a cooccurring mental disorder. This rate 

is lower than the regional rate and 

the national average. However, state 

reporting practices are a factor in 

these results.

15.1%

17.4%

33.7%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

Illinois Region 5 U.S.

Exhibit 11. SUD Treatment Admissions of Adults Ages 50+ 

With a Co-Occurring Mental Disorder in Illinois, Region 5, 

and the United States, 2012

Proportion of Treatment Admissions 50+ With Co-Occurring Disorders

Source: TEDS, 2012

Data include only those clients reported to SAMHSA.
Alabama ALABAMA Profile 2015 Illinois Illinois Profile 2016

7

MENTAL HEALTH

Older Illinoisans Reporting Frequent Mental Distress

BRFSS, a household survey conducted 

in all 50 states and several territories, 

asks the following question: “Now 

thinking about your mental health, 

which includes stress, depression, 

and problems with emotions, for how 

many days during the past 30 days 

was your mental health not good?” 

Those individuals reporting 14 or more 

“Yes” days in response to this question 

experience frequent mental distress 

(FMD). Exhibit 12 shows that Illinoisans 

in the 50–64 age group experience FMD 

at a rate that is lower than the regional 

and national rates, while those in the 

65+ age group experience it at a rate 

that is higher than the regional rate and 

roughly similar to the national rate.

12.5%

9.9%

7.4%

12.6%

11.9%

6.3%

12.3%

13.0%

7.2%

0%

2%

4%

6%

8%

10%

12%

14%

18 to 49 50 to 64 65+

Illinois Region 5 U.S.

Exhibit 12. Individuals Reporting Frequent Mental Distress 

in Illinois, Region 5, and the United States, 2013

Proportion Reporting Frequent Mental Distress

Source: BRFSS, 2013

Older Illinoisans Reporting Frequent Mental Distress by Age Group and Sex

As Exhibit 13 shows, 7.2 percent of men 

in the 50–64 age group reported FMD 

(14 days or more per 30-day period) 

compared with 12.3 percent of women 

in this age group. Men in the 65+ age 

group reported a higher rate of FMD 

than women in the same age group 

(9.4 percent compared with 6.0 percent). 

Minnesota is the only other state in the 

region where men in the 65+ age group 

reported a higher rate of FMD than did 

women in this age group.

9.7%

15.3%

7.2%

12.3%

9.4%

6.0%

0%

2%

4%

6%

8%

10%

12%

14%

16%

18%

Male Female

18 to 49 50 to 64 65+

Exhibit 13. Illinoisans Reporting Frequent Mental 

Distress by Age Group and Sex, 2013

Proportion Reporting Frequent Mental Distress

Source: BRFSS, 2013
8

Illinois Illinois Profile 2016

Other Measures of Mental Health

BRFSS collected other measures showing risk factors for mental and/or physical illness. These included:

• Social and Emotional Support (2010). BRFSS asked, “How often do you get the social and emotional 

support you need?” The possible responses were always, usually, sometimes, rarely, or never. 

• Life Satisfaction (2010). BRFSS asked, “In general, how satisfied are you with your life?” The possible 

responses were very satisfied, satisfied, dissatisfied, or very dissatisfied.

Exhibit 14 presents the results of these surveys among older Illinoisans.

Exhibit 14. BRFSS Measures, 2010

Indicator Ages 50+ Ages 50–64 Ages 65+

Rarely or never get social 

or emotional support 9.6% 7.6% 12.5%

Dissatisfied or very 

dissatisfied 4.1% 4.9% 3.1%

Source: BRFSS, 2010

Individuals With Frequent Mental Distress Report High Rates of Poor Physical 

Health

Older Americans who experienced FMD 

were more likely to report that their 

physical health was poor (14 days or 

more in the past 30-day period when 

physical health was “not good”). As 

shown in Exhibit 15, although nearly 

11 percent of older Americans with no 

mental distress reported poor physical 

health, more than 50 percent of those 

with FMD reported poor physical health.

10.8%

18.1%

52.4%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

No mental distress Some mental distress Frequent mental distress

Exhibit 15. Individuals Ages 50+ in the United States 

Reporting Poor Physical Health by Level of Mental 

Distress, 2013

Proportion Reporting Poor Physical Health

Source: BRFSS, 2013
Alabama ALABAMA Profile 2015 Illinois Illinois Profile 2016

9

Relationship Among Mental Distress, Diabetes, Stroke, Heart Attack, 

High Blood Pressure, and Coronary Disease

Older Americans who experience FMD 

are more likely to report that they have 

health problems. People with FMD 

were more than twice as likely to report 

having a stroke than those with some 

or no mental distress. They experienced 

coronary disease and heart attack at 

more than 1.6 times, diabetes at more 

than 1.4 times, and high blood pressure 

at nearly 1.2 times the rate of those with 

some or no mental distress.

10.1%

13.3% 13.2%

25.9%

60.6%

4.7%

7.6% 7.8%

17.7%

51.1%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Stroke Coronary disease Heart attack Diabetes High blood pressure

Frequent mental distress Some or no mental distress

Exhibit 16. Individuals Ages 50+ in the United States 

With Mental Distress and Serious Health Problems, 2013

Proportion Reporting Health Problems by Mental Health Category

Source: BRFSS, 2013

Older Illinoisans Admitted to State Mental Health Services

Approximately 3.3 percent of the people served by the Illinois mental health system were ages 65 and older. 

This represents more than 4,470 adults.

Source: Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) Uniform Reporting System (URS) Output Tables, 2014
10 Illinois Illinois Profile 2016

DATA SOURCES

BEHAVIORAL RISK FACTOR SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM (www.cdc.gov/brfss). BRFSS, managed by CDC, 

is the largest ongoing telephone health survey system in the world, tracking health conditions and risk 

behaviors in the United States annually since 1984. Data are collected on a monthly basis in all 50 states, 

the District of Columbia, and participating territories. BRFSS data are collected by local jurisdictions and 

reported to CDC.

CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION, NATIONAL CENTER FOR HEALTH 

STATISTICS, UNDERLYING CAUSE OF DEATH 1999-2013 ON CDC WONDER ONLINE DATABASE, 

RELEASED 2015 (http://wonder.cdc.gov/ucd-icd10.html). The WONDER online database “contains 

mortality and population counts for all U.S. counties. Data are based on death certificates for U.S. 

residents. Each death certificate identifies a single underlying cause of death and demographic data. 

The number of deaths, crude death rates or age-adjusted death rates, and 95% confidence intervals 

and standard errors for death rates can be obtained by place of residence (total U.S., region, state and 

county), age group (single-year-of age, 5-year age groups, 10-year age groups and infant age groups), 

race, Hispanic ethnicity, gender, year, cause-of-death (4-digit ICD-10 code or group of codes), injury 

intent and injury mechanism, drug/alcohol induced causes and urbanization categories. Data are also 

available for place of death, month and week day of death, and whether an autopsy was performed.”

CENTER FOR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES UNIFORM REPORTING SYSTEM (www.samhsa.gov/data

/us_map). States that receive CMHS Block Grants are required to report aggregate data to URS. URS 

reports include information about utilization of mental health services and client demographic and 

outcome information.

NATIONAL SURVEY ON DRUG USE AND HEALTH (https://nsduhweb.rti.org). The NSDUH, managed 

by SAMHSA, is “an annual nationwide survey involving interviews with approximately 70,000 randomly 

selected individuals aged 12 and older.” NSDUH data are most frequently used by state planners 

to assess the need for SUD treatment. NSDUH data also include information about mental health 

conditions.

TREATMENT EPISODE DATA SET (www.samhsa.gov/data/client-level-data-teds/reports?tab=19). States 

that receive Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant funds submit individual client data 

to TEDS. TEDS includes both admission and discharge data sets, and some 1.5 million admissions are 

reported annually. TEDS includes information about utilization of SUD treatment services and client 

demographic and outcome information. TEDS is an admission-based system, and TEDS admissions do 

not represent individuals. Thus, an individual admitted to treatment twice within a calendar year would 

be counted as two admissions.

U.S. CENSUS BUREAU (www.census.gov/people). Two main sources of Census Bureau data were used 

in this report: (1) population estimates and (2) population projections.
OLDER ADULTS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROFILE

Indiana
OLDER ADULTS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROFILE

INDIANA’S POPULATION

Indiana Population by Age Group

Indiana is home to 6,596,855 people. Of 

these:

• 2,252,368 (34.1 percent) are over age 50.

• 1,330,688 (20.2 percent) are over age 60.

• 630,225 (9.6 percent) are over age 70.

• 243,803 (3.7 percent) are ages 80 and 

older.

The proportion of women rises fairly 

steadily in each age group, and women 

make up 63.7 percent of the 80+ group. 

The racial/ethnic composition of older 

Indianians is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity of Indianians 

Ages 50+

White AI/AN Black Asian NH/PI Other Hispanic

90.8% 0.3% 7.2% 1.1% 0.0% 0.6% 2.6%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2015

AI/AN stands for American Indian and Alaska Native. 

NH/PI stands for Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander.

440 463 458

414 422 454

336

174

88

420

442 450

414 422

468

365

212

155

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

1,000

0 to 9 10 to 19 20 to 29 30 to 39 40 to 49 50 to 59 60 to 69 70 to 79 80+

Male Female

Population in 1,000s

Exhibit 1. Indiana Population by Age Group, 2014

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2015

The Number of Older Indianians Is Growing

The proportion of Indiana’s population 

that is 65 and older is growing while 

the proportion that is younger than 65 

is shrinking. The U.S. Census Bureau 

estimates that 18.1 percent of Indiana’s 

population will be 65 and older by the 

year 2030, an increase of 35.9 percent 

from 2015.

Projected Population in Indiana

Age Group 2015 2025 2030

Under 18 24.8% 24.8% 25.0%

18 to 44 35.8% 34.7% 34.2%

45 to 64 25.5% 23.5% 22.7%

65+ 13.9% 17.0% 18.1%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2005

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030

Under 18 18 to 44 45 to 64 65+

Exhibit 2. Indiana Population by Age Group, 2000–2030

Population in 1,000s

August 2016

Indiana
2

Indiana Indiana Profile 2016

SUICIDE AMONG OLDER INDIANIANS

Indiana Suicide Rate Compared With Regional and National Rates

The suicide rate among Indianians ages 

50 and older is higher than the rate 

among younger age groups. In 2013, the 

total suicide rate among all people ages 

50+ was 17.8 per 100,000 people (6.2 

for women and 31.2 for men). The rate 

among those ages 50–64 was higher than 

both the rate in the region (including 

Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and 

Wisconsin) and the rate in the United 

States.

States vary in their reporting of suicides. 

The suicide rate is influenced by these 

reporting practices.

14.4

12.6

19.7

15.2

12.7

11.0

17.2

14.0

13.0

10.6

19.0

16.1

0

5

10

15

20

25

All Under 50 50 to 64 65+

Indiana Region 5 U.S.

Exhibit 3. Suicide Rates in Indiana, Region 5, and the 

United States, 2013

Suicide Rate per 100,000 Population

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Center 

for Health Statistics (NCHS), Underlying Cause of Death 1999-2013 on CDC 

WONDER Online Database, released 2015

Trends in Suicide Rates in Indiana

The suicide rate among Indianians 

ages 50+ fluctuated from a low of 

12.8 per 100,000 in 2004 to a high of 

17.8 per 100,000 in 2010 and 2013. 

From 2004 to 2013, the rate was 

highest among those in the 50–64 

age group.

How a state reports suicides can 

vary from year to year. The number 

of suicides is generally low, so even a 

small difference in reported numbers 

may make the rate fluctuate widely.

0

5

10

15

20

25

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

All ages Under 50 50+ 50 to 64 65+

Exhibit 4. Trends in Suicide Rates in Indiana by Age Group, 

2004–2013

Suicide Rate per 100,000 Population

Source: CDC, NCHS, Underlying Cause of Death 1999-2013 on CDC WONDER 

Online Database, released 2015
Alabama ALABAMA Profile 2015 Indiana Indiana Profile 2016

3

SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER 

TREATMENT AMONG OLDER INDIANIANS

30-Day Binge Drinking Among Older Indianians

Binge drinking, defined as five or more 

drinks for men and four or more drinks for 

women on a single occasion, can lead to 

serious health problems. Such problems 

include neurological damage, cardiovascular 

disease, liver disease, stroke, and poor 

control of diabetes. Binge drinkers are 

more likely to take risks such as driving 

while intoxicated and to experience falls 

and other accidents. Older people have a 

lower tolerance for alcohol. Binge drinking 

decreases with age and occurs more 

frequently among men than it does among 

women. As Exhibit 5 shows, 15.1 percent 

of Indiana men ages 50–64 reported 

binge drinking in the past 30 days, while 

5.1 percent of those in the 65+ group 

reported similar behavior. 

27.2%

15.1% 

5.1%

15.8%

6.0%

1.6% 0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

18 to 49 50 to 64 65+

Male Female

Exhibit 5. Binge Drinking Rates in Indiana by Age Group 

and Sex, 2013

Proportion of Population Engaging in Binge Drinking

Source: Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), 2013

Illicit Drug Use Among Older Americans

Nationally, the rate of illicit drug use 

among older adults ages 50–64 more 

than doubled from 2002 to 2013. 

This development partially reflects the 

entrance into this age group of the 

baby boom cohort, whose rates of 

illicit drug use have been higher than 

those of older cohorts. Although statespecific data are not available, the 

Indiana Behavioral Health Barometer 

is available for download from the 

Substance Abuse and Mental Health 

Services Administration (SAMHSA) 

website (www.samhsa.gov/data 

/population-data-nsduh 

/reports?tab=33). 0%

1%

2%

3%

4%

5%

6%

7%

8%

9%

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

50 to 54 55 to 59 60 to 64

Exhibit 6. Illicit Drug Use Among Older Americans, 

2002–2013

Proportion Using in Past Month

Source: National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 2013

Illicit drug use includes illegal drugs and prescription drugs used nonmedically. SAMHSA 

provides a list of drugs included in its survey in the NSDUH methodological summary.
4

Indiana Indiana Profile 2016

Admissions to Substance Use Disorder Treatment Among Older Indianians

In 2012, there were 2,718 admissions 

of Indianians ages 50 and older 

to substance use disorder (SUD) 

treatment in state-funded treatment 

programs, a rate of 120.7 per 100,000 

people ages 50+. This rate was lower 

than the regional rate and the national 

average. Men made up 70.0 percent of 

these admissions. Of all admissions, 

71.6 percent were White/Caucasian, 

25.7 percent were Black/African 

American, and 3.5 percent were 

Hispanic.

The principal sources of referral to 

treatment among those ages 50 and 

older were: 

Self-Referral Criminal Justice Other

36.1% 43.9% 20.0%

180.9

285.9

383.2

67.9

111.0 120.3

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

Indiana Region 5 U.S.

Male Female

Exhibit 7. SUD Treatment Admissions of Adults Ages 50+ 

in Indiana, Region 5, and the United States by Sex, 2012

SUD Admission Rate per 100,000 Population

Source: Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS), 20121

1

 TEDS data are collected by states as a condition of the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant. Guidelines suggest that states report all clients 

admitted to publicly financed treatment; however, states are inconsistent in applying the guidelines. States may structure and implement different quality controls 

over the data. For example, states may collect different categories of information to answer TEDS questions. Information is then “walked over” to TEDS definitions.

Data include only those clients reported to SAMHSA.

SUD Treatment Admissions Among Indianians Ages 50+ by Insurance Type 

In Indiana, 57.5 percent of older 

adult admissions to SUD treatment 

were uninsured, 14.4 percent had 

Medicaid, 20.4 percent had Medicare, 

and 7.7 percent had private insurance.

SUD Treatment Admissions Among 

Indianians Ages 50+ by Primary 

Sources of Payment

Self-Pay Medicaid Other

Data not 

available

Data not 

available

Data not 

available

Exhibit 8 and the accompanying text reflect the type of 

health insurance (if any) clients had at admission; the table 

above represents primary sources of payment.

7.7%

14.4%

20.4%

57.5%

3.9%

25.9%

10.2%

59.9%

14.9%

20.4%

10.8%

53.9%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Private Medicaid Medicare None

Indiana Region 5 U.S.

Exhibit 8. SUD Treatment Admissions of Adults Ages 50+ 

in Indiana, Region 5, and the United States by Insurance 

Type, 2012

Proportion of SUD Treatment Admissions of Adults Ages 50+ by Insurance Type

Source: TEDS, 2012

Data include only those clients reported to SAMHSA.
Alabama ALABAMA Profile 2015 Indiana Indiana Profile 2016

5

Alcohol Use Disorder Treatment Admissions Among Indianians Ages 50+

Alcohol was the most frequently cited 

substance used by older Indianians 

in publicly financed SUD treatment in 

2012. It was mentioned as a substance 

of use in 65.7 percent of admissions 

among those ages 50+. This was 

higher than the regional and national 

rates.

65.7%

62.1% 62.1%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

Indiana Region 5 U.S.

Exhibit 9. Alcohol Use Treatment Admissions of Adults 

Ages 50+ in Indiana, Region 5, and the United States, 2012

Proportion of Treatment Admissions 50+ With Primary Alcohol Use Disorder

Source: TEDS, 2012

Data include only those clients reported to SAMHSA.

SUD Treatment Admissions for Non-Alcohol Substance Use

Substances other than alcohol were 

cited as the primary substances of 

use for 34.3 percent of older adult 

admissions to publicly funded 

treatment in Indiana.

34.3%

37.9% 37.9%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

Indiana Region 5 U.S.

Exhibit 10. Non-Alcohol Substance Use Treatment 

Admissions of Adults Ages 50+ in Indiana, Region 5, and 

the United States, 2012

Proportion of Treatment Admissions 50+ With Other Primary Substance Use Disorder

Source: TEDS, 2012

Data include only those clients reported to SAMHSA.
6

Indiana Indiana Profile 2016

Drug-Related Emergency Department Visits Involving Pharmaceutical Misuse 

and Abuse by Older Adults

SAMHSA periodically releases reports from the Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN). DAWN, discontinued 

in 2011, consisted of a nationwide network of hospital emergency departments (EDs) primarily located in 

large metropolitan areas. DAWN data consist of professional reviews of ED records to determine the extent 

to which alcohol and other substance abuse was involved in ED visits. According to the November 25, 2010, 

DAWN Report:

• In 2004, there were an estimated 115,803 ED visits involving pharmaceutical misuse and abuse by adults 

aged 50 or older; in 2008, there were 256,097 such visits, representing an increase of 121.1 percent 

• One fifth (19.7 percent) of ED visits involving pharmaceutical misuse and abuse among older adults were 

made by persons aged 70 or older 

• Among ED visits made by older adults, pain relievers were the type of pharmaceutical most commonly 

involved (43.5 percent), followed by drugs used to treat anxiety or insomnia (31.8 percent) and 

antidepressants (8.6 percent) 

• Among patients aged 50 or older who visited the ED for pharmaceutical misuse or abuse, more than half 

(52.3 percent) were treated and released, and more than one third (37.5 percent) were admitted to the 

hospital 

Bulleted text in italics above is taken from SAMHSA’s Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality. (2010, November 25). The DAWN Report: Drugrelated emergency department visits involving pharmaceutical misuse and abuse by older adults. Rockville, MD: SAMHSA.

CO-OCCURRING SUBSTANCE USE AND MENTAL DISORDERS

Older Indianians in SUD Treatment With Co-Occurring Mental Disorders

The national literature shows a strong 

relationship between substance use 

and mental disorders. Studies show 

that 30–80 percent of individuals with a 

substance use or mental disorder also 

have a co-occurring disorder.

Exhibit 11 shows the proportion 

of SUD treatment admissions of 

Indianians ages 50+ with a cooccurring mental disorder. This rate 

is higher than the regional rate and 

the national average. However, state 

reporting practices are a factor in 

these results.

46.4%

17.4%

33.7%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

Indiana Region 5 U.S.

Proportion of Treatment Admissions 50+ With a Co-Occurring Disorder

Exhibit 11. SUD Treatment Admissions of Adults Ages 50+ 

With a Co-Occurring Mental Disorder in Indiana, Region 5, 

and the United States, 2012

Source: TEDS, 2012

Data include only those clients reported to SAMHSA.
Alabama ALABAMA Profile 2015 Indiana Indiana Profile 2016

7

MENTAL HEALTH

Older Indianians Reporting Frequent Mental Distress

BRFSS, a household survey conducted 

in all 50 states and several territories, 

asks the following question: “Now 

thinking about your mental health, 

which includes stress, depression, 

and problems with emotions, for how 

many days during the past 30 days 

was your mental health not good?” 

Those individuals reporting 14 or more 

“Yes” days in response to this question 

experience frequent mental distress 

(FMD). Exhibit 12 shows that older 

Indianians experience FMD at a rate 

that is higher than the regional rate and 

lower than the national rate.

14.1%

12.8%

6.7%

12.6%

11.9%

6.3%

12.3%

13.0%

7.2%

0%

2%

4%

6%

8%

10%

12%

14%

16%

18 to 49 50 to 64 65+

Indiana Region 5 U.S.

Exhibit 12. Individuals Reporting Frequent Mental Distress 

in Indiana, Region 5, and the United States, 2013

Proportion Reporting Frequent Mental Distress

Source: BRFSS, 2013

Older Indianians Reporting Frequent Mental Distress by Age Group and Sex

Older men in Indiana were more likely 

to indulge in binge drinking, but older 

women were more likely to report that 

they had FMD (14 days or more per 

30-day period). As Exhibit 13 shows, 

16.1 percent of women in the 50–64 age 

group and 7.4 percent in the 65+ age 

group reported FMD, while 9.6 percent 

of men in the 50–64 age group and 

5.7 percent in the 65+ age group 

reported FMD.

10.8%

17.4%

9.6%

16.1%

5.7%

7.4%

0%

2%

4%

6%

8%

10%

12%

14%

16%

18%

20%

Male Female

18 to 49 50 to 64 65+

Exhibit 13. Indianians Reporting Frequent Mental 

Distress by Age Group and Sex, 2013

Proportion Reporting Frequent Mental Distress

Source: BRFSS, 2013
8

Indiana Indiana Profile 2016

Other Measures of Mental Health

BRFSS collected other measures showing risk factors for mental and/or physical illness. These included:

• Social and Emotional Support (2010). BRFSS asked, “How often do you get the social and emotional 

support you need?” The possible responses were always, usually, sometimes, rarely, or never. 

• Life Satisfaction (2010). BRFSS asked, “In general, how satisfied are you with your life?” The possible 

responses were very satisfied, satisfied, dissatisfied, or very dissatisfied.

Exhibit 14 presents the results of these surveys among older Indianians.

Exhibit 14. BRFSS Measures, 2010

Indicator Ages 50+ Ages 50–64 Ages 65+

Rarely or never get social 

or emotional support 9.2% 7.9% 11.1%

Dissatisfied or very 

dissatisfied 5.3% 6.8% 3.2%

Source: BRFSS, 2010

Individuals With Frequent Mental Distress Report High Rates of Poor Physical 

Health

Older Americans who experienced FMD 

were more likely to report that their 

physical health was poor (14 days or 

more in the past 30-day period when 

physical health was “not good”). As 

shown in Exhibit 15, although nearly 

11 percent of older Americans with no 

mental distress reported poor physical 

health, more than 50 percent of those 

with FMD reported poor physical health.

10.8%

18.1%

52.4%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

No mental distress Some mental distress Frequent mental distress

Exhibit 15. Individuals Ages 50+ in the United States 

Reporting Poor Physical Health by Level of Mental 

Distress, 2013

Proportion Reporting Poor Physical Health

Source: BRFSS, 2013
Alabama ALABAMA Profile 2015 Indiana Indiana Profile 2016

9

Relationship Among Mental Distress, Diabetes, Stroke, Heart Attack, 

High Blood Pressure, and Coronary Disease

Older Americans who experience FMD 

are more likely to report that they have 

health problems. People with FMD 

were more than twice as likely to report 

having a stroke than those with some 

or no mental distress. They experienced 

coronary disease and heart attack at 

more than 1.6 times, diabetes at more 

than 1.4 times, and high blood pressure 

at nearly 1.2 times the rate of those with 

some or no mental distress.

10.1%

13.3% 13.2%

25.9%

60.6%

4.7%

7.6% 7.8%

17.7%

51.1%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Stroke Coronary disease Heart attack Diabetes High blood pressure

Frequent mental distress Some or no mental distress

Exhibit 16. Individuals Ages 50+ in the United States 

With Mental Distress and Serious Health Problems, 2013

Proportion Reporting Health Problems by Mental Health Category

Source: BRFSS, 2013

Older Indianians Admitted to State Mental Health Services

Approximately 2.8 percent of the people served by the Indiana mental health system were ages 65 and 

older. This represents more than 3,610 adults.

Source: Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) Uniform Reporting System (URS) Output Tables, 2014
10 Indiana Indiana Profile 2016

DATA SOURCES

BEHAVIORAL RISK FACTOR SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM (www.cdc.gov/brfss). BRFSS, managed by CDC, 

is the largest ongoing telephone health survey system in the world, tracking health conditions and risk 

behaviors in the United States annually since 1984. Data are collected on a monthly basis in all 50 states, 

the District of Columbia, and participating territories. BRFSS data are collected by local jurisdictions and 

reported to CDC.

CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION, NATIONAL CENTER FOR HEALTH 

STATISTICS, UNDERLYING CAUSE OF DEATH 1999-2013 ON CDC WONDER ONLINE DATABASE, 

RELEASED 2015 (http://wonder.cdc.gov/ucd-icd10.html). The WONDER online database “contains 

mortality and population counts for all U.S. counties. Data are based on death certificates for U.S. 

residents. Each death certificate identifies a single underlying cause of death and demographic data. 

The number of deaths, crude death rates or age-adjusted death rates, and 95% confidence intervals 

and standard errors for death rates can be obtained by place of residence (total U.S., region, state and 

county), age group (single-year-of age, 5-year age groups, 10-year age groups and infant age groups), 

race, Hispanic ethnicity, gender, year, cause-of-death (4-digit ICD-10 code or group of codes), injury 

intent and injury mechanism, drug/alcohol induced causes and urbanization categories. Data are also 

available for place of death, month and week day of death, and whether an autopsy was performed.”

CENTER FOR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES UNIFORM REPORTING SYSTEM (www.samhsa.gov/data

/us_map). States that receive CMHS Block Grants are required to report aggregate data to URS. URS 

reports include information about utilization of mental health services and client demographic and 

outcome information.

NATIONAL SURVEY ON DRUG USE AND HEALTH (https://nsduhweb.rti.org). The NSDUH, managed 

by SAMHSA, is “an annual nationwide survey involving interviews with approximately 70,000 randomly 

selected individuals aged 12 and older.” NSDUH data are most frequently used by state planners 

to assess the need for SUD treatment. NSDUH data also include information about mental health 

conditions.

TREATMENT EPISODE DATA SET (www.samhsa.gov/data/client-level-data-teds/reports?tab=19). States 

that receive Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant funds submit individual client data 

to TEDS. TEDS includes both admission and discharge data sets, and some 1.5 million admissions are 

reported annually. TEDS includes information about utilization of SUD treatment services and client 

demographic and outcome information. TEDS is an admission-based system, and TEDS admissions do 

not represent individuals. Thus, an individual admitted to treatment twice within a calendar year would 

be counted as two admissions.

U.S. CENSUS BUREAU (www.census.gov/people). Two main sources of Census Bureau data were used 

in this report: (1) population estimates and (2) population projections.
OLDER ADULTS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROFILE

Michigan
OLDER ADULTS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROFILE

MICHIGAN’S POPULATION

Michigan Population by Age Group

Michigan is home to 9,909,877 people. 

Of these:

• 3,633,119 (36.7 percent) are over age 50.

• 2,163,702 (21.8 percent) are over age 60.

• 1,024,981 (10.3 percent) are over age 70.

• 400,736 (4.0 percent) are ages 80 and

older.

The proportion of women rises fairly 

steadily in each age group, and women 

make up 63.0 percent of the 80+ group. 

The racial/ethnic composition of older 

Michiganians is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity of Michiganians 

Ages 50+

White AI/AN Black Asian NH/PI Other Hispanic

85.6% 0.6% 11.3% 1.7% 0.0% 0.8% 2.1%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2015

AI/AN stands for American Indian and Alaska Native. 

NH/PI stands for Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander.

602

676 679

576 635

720

547

285

148

574

645 661

582

647

749

592

339

252

0

200

400

600

800

1,000

1,200

1,400

1,600

0 to 9 10 to 19 20 to 29 30 to 39 40 to 49 50 to 59 60 to 69 70 to 79 80+

Male Female

Population in 1,000s

Exhibit 1. Michigan Population by Age Group, 2014

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2015

The Number of Older Michiganians Is Growing

The proportion of Michigan’s 

population that is 65 and older is 

growing while the proportion that 

is younger than 65 is shrinking. The 

U.S. Census Bureau estimates that 

19.5 percent of Michigan’s population 

will be 65 and older by the year 2030, 

an increase of 38.1 percent from 2015.

Projected Population in Michigan

Age Group 2015 2025 2030

Under 18 23.4% 23.1% 22.8%

18 to 44 35.8% 34.5% 33.8%

45 to 64 26.5% 24.4% 24.0%

65+ 14.2% 18.0% 19.5%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2005

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

3,500

4,000

4,500

2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030

Under 18 18 to 44 45 to 64 65+

Exhibit 2. Michigan Population by Age Group, 2000–2030

Population in 1,000s

August 2016

Michigan
2

Michigan Michigan Profile 2016

SUICIDE AMONG OLDER MICHIGANIANS

Michigan Suicide Rate Compared With Regional and National Rates

The suicide rate among Michiganians 

ages 50 and older is higher than the rate 

among younger age groups. In 2013, the 

total suicide rate among all people ages 

50+ was 15.1 per 100,000 people (5.8 

for women and 25.6 for men). The rate 

among those ages 50–64 was lower than 

both the rate in the region (including 

Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Ohio, and 

Wisconsin) and the rate in the United 

States.

States vary in their reporting of suicides. 

The suicide rate is influenced by these 

reporting practices.

13.1

12.0

16.0

13.8

12.7

11.0

17.2

14.0

13.0

10.6

19.0

16.1

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

All Under 50 50 to 64 65+

Michigan Region 5 U.S.

Exhibit 3. Suicide Rates in Michigan, Region 5, and the 

United States, 2013

Suicide Rate per 100,000 Population

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Center 

for Health Statistics (NCHS), Underlying Cause of Death 1999-2013 on CDC 

WONDER Online Database, released 2015

Trends in Suicide Rates in Michigan

The suicide rate among Michiganians 

ages 50+ fluctuated from a low of 

12.8 per 100,000 in 2004 to a high of 

16.0 per 100,000 in 2010. From 2004 

to 2013, the rate was highest among 

those in the 50–64 age group.

How a state reports suicides can 

vary from year to year. The number 

of suicides is generally low, so even a 

small difference in reported numbers 

may make the rate fluctuate widely.

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

All ages Under 50 50+ 50 to 64 65+

Exhibit 4. Trends in Suicide Rates in Michigan by Age Group, 

2004–2013

Suicide Rate per 100,000 Population

Source: CDC, NCHS, Underlying Cause of Death 1999-2013 on CDC WONDER 

Online Database, released 2015
Alabama ALABAMA Profile 2015 Michigan Michigan Profile 2016

3

SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER 

TREATMENT AMONG OLDER MICHIGANIANS

30-Day Binge Drinking Among Older Michiganians

Binge drinking, defined as five or more 

drinks for men and four or more drinks for 

women on a single occasion, can lead to 

serious health problems. Such problems 

include neurological damage, cardiovascular 

disease, liver disease, stroke, and poor 

control of diabetes. Binge drinkers are 

more likely to take risks such as driving 

while intoxicated and to experience falls 

and other accidents. Older people have a 

lower tolerance for alcohol. Binge drinking 

decreases with age and occurs more 

frequently among men than it does among 

women. As Exhibit 5 shows, 19.6 percent 

of Michigan men ages 50–64 reported 

binge drinking in the past 30 days, while 

10.3 percent of those in the 65+ group 

reported similar behavior. 

31.4%

19.6% 

10.3%

19.6%

11.3%

4.3%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

18 to 49 50 to 64 65+

Male Female

Exhibit 5. Binge Drinking Rates in Michigan by Age 

Group and Sex, 2013

Proportion of Population Engaging in Binge Drinking

Source: Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), 2013

Illicit Drug Use Among Older Americans

Nationally, the rate of illicit drug use 

among older adults ages 50–64 more 

than doubled from 2002 to 2013. 

This development partially reflects the 

entrance into this age group of the 

baby boom cohort, whose rates of 

illicit drug use have been higher than 

those of older cohorts. Although statespecific data are not available, the 

Michigan Behavioral Health Barometer

is available for download from the 

Substance Abuse and Mental Health 

Services Administration (SAMHSA) 

website (www.samhsa.gov/data 

/population-data-nsduh 

/reports?tab=33). 0%

1%

2%

3%

4%

5%

6%

7%

8%

9%

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

50 to 54 55 to 59 60 to 64

Exhibit 6. Illicit Drug Use Among Older Americans, 

2002–2013

Proportion Using in Past Month

Source: National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 2013

Illicit drug use includes illegal drugs and prescription drugs used nonmedically. SAMHSA 

provides a list of drugs included in its survey in the NSDUH methodological summary.
4

Michigan Michigan Profile 2016

Admissions to Substance Use Disorder Treatment Among Older Michiganians

In 2012, there were 8,619 admissions 

of Michiganians ages 50 and older 

to substance use disorder (SUD) 

treatment in state-funded treatment 

programs, a rate of 237.2 per 100,000 

people ages 50+. This rate was higher 

than the regional rate and lower than 

the national average. Men made up 

70.0 percent of these admissions. Of all 

admissions, 48.6 percent were White/

Caucasian, 48.7 percent were Black/

African American, and 1.7 percent 

were Hispanic.

The principal sources of referral to 

treatment among those ages 50 and 

older were: 

Self-Referral Criminal Justice Other

46.8% 14.6% 38.6%

354.9

285.9

383.2

133.7

111.0 120.3

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

Michigan Region 5 U.S.

Male Female

Exhibit 7. SUD Treatment Admissions of Adults Ages 50+ 

in Michigan, Region 5, and the United States by Sex, 2012

SUD Admission Rate per 100,000 Population

Source: Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS), 20121

1

 TEDS data are collected by states as a condition of the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant. Guidelines suggest that states report all clients 

admitted to publicly financed treatment; however, states are inconsistent in applying the guidelines. States may structure and implement different quality controls 

over the data. For example, states may collect different categories of information to answer TEDS questions. Information is then “walked over” to TEDS definitions.

Data include only those clients reported to SAMHSA.

SUD Treatment Admissions Among Individuals in Region 5 Ages 50+ by 

Insurance Type 

States may choose not to report some of 

the fields to TEDS, including information 

on treatment admission insurance 

types. These data were not reported by 

Michigan in 2012. Therefore, the rates 

for Region 5 are used instead.

In Region 5, 59.9 percent of older 

adult admissions to SUD treatment 

were uninsured, 25.9 percent had 

Medicaid, 10.2 percent had Medicare, 

and 3.9 percent had private insurance.

SUD Treatment Admissions Among 

Michiganians Ages 50+ by Primary 

Sources of Payment

Self-Pay Medicaid Other

Data not 

available

Data not 

available

Data not 

available

Exhibit 8 and the accompanying text reflect the type of 

health insurance (if any) clients had at admission; the table 

above represents primary sources of payment.

3.9%

25.9%

10.2%

59.9%

14.9%

20.4%

10.8%

53.9%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Private Medicaid Medicare None

Region 5 U.S.

Exhibit 8. SUD Treatment Admissions of Adults Ages 50+ 

in Region 5 and the United States by Insurance Type, 2012

Proportion of SUD Treatment Admissions of Adults Ages 50+ by Insurance Type

Source: TEDS, 2012

Data include only those clients reported to SAMHSA.
Alabama ALABAMA Profile 2015 Michigan Michigan Profile 2016

5

Alcohol Use Disorder Treatment Admissions Among Michiganians Ages 50+

Alcohol was the most frequently cited 

substance used by older Michiganians 

in publicly financed SUD treatment in 

2012. It was mentioned as a substance 

of use in 49.3 percent of admissions 

among those ages 50+. This was lower 

than the regional and national rates.

49.3%

62.1% 62.1%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

Michigan Region 5 U.S.

Exhibit 9. Alcohol Use Treatment Admissions of Adults 

Ages 50+ in Michigan, Region 5, and the United States, 

2012

Proportion of Treatment Admissions 50+ With Primary Alcohol Use Disorder

Source: TEDS, 2012

Data include only those clients reported to SAMHSA.

SUD Treatment Admissions for Non-Alcohol Substance Use

Substances other than alcohol were 

cited as the primary substances of 

use for 50.7 percent of older adult 

admissions to publicly funded 

treatment in Michigan.

50.7%

37.9% 37.9%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Michigan Region 5 U.S.

Exhibit 10. Non-Alcohol Substance Use Treatment 

Admissions of Adults Ages 50+ in Michigan, Region 5, 

and the United States, 2012

Proportion of Treatment Admissions 50+ With Other Primary Substance Use Disorder

Source: TEDS, 2012

Data include only those clients reported to SAMHSA.
6

Michigan Michigan Profile 2016

Drug-Related Emergency Department Visits Involving Pharmaceutical Misuse 

and Abuse by Older Adults

SAMHSA periodically releases reports from the Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN). DAWN, discontinued 

in 2011, consisted of a nationwide network of hospital emergency departments (EDs) primarily located in 

large metropolitan areas. DAWN data consist of professional reviews of ED records to determine the extent 

to which alcohol and other substance abuse was involved in ED visits. According to the November 25, 2010, 

DAWN Report:

• In 2004, there were an estimated 115,803 ED visits involving pharmaceutical misuse and abuse by adults 

aged 50 or older; in 2008, there were 256,097 such visits, representing an increase of 121.1 percent 

• One fifth (19.7 percent) of ED visits involving pharmaceutical misuse and abuse among older adults were 

made by persons aged 70 or older 

• Among ED visits made by older adults, pain relievers were the type of pharmaceutical most commonly 

involved (43.5 percent), followed by drugs used to treat anxiety or insomnia (31.8 percent) and 

antidepressants (8.6 percent) 

• Among patients aged 50 or older who visited the ED for pharmaceutical misuse or abuse, more than half 

(52.3 percent) were treated and released, and more than one third (37.5 percent) were admitted to the 

hospital 

Bulleted text in italics above is taken from SAMHSA’s Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality. (2010, November 25). The DAWN Report: Drugrelated emergency department visits involving pharmaceutical misuse and abuse by older adults. Rockville, MD: SAMHSA.

CO-OCCURRING SUBSTANCE USE AND MENTAL DISORDERS

Older Michiganians in SUD Treatment With Co-Occurring Mental Disorders

The national literature shows a strong 

relationship between substance use 

and mental disorders. Studies show 

that 30–80 percent of individuals with a 

substance use or mental disorder also 

have a co-occurring disorder.

Exhibit 11 shows the proportion 

of SUD treatment admissions of 

Michiganians ages 50+ with a cooccurring mental disorder. This rate 

is lower than the regional rate and 

the national average. However, state 

reporting practices are a factor in 

these results.

0.3%

17.4%

33.7%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

Michigan Region 5 U.S.

Exhibit 11. SUD Treatment Admissions of Adults Ages 50+ 

With a Co-Occurring Mental Disorder in Michigan, Region 5, 

and the United States, 2012

Proportion of Treatment Admissions 50+ With Co-Occurring Disorders

Source: TEDS, 2012

Data include only those clients reported to SAMHSA.
Alabama ALABAMA Profile 2015 Michigan Michigan Profile 2016

7

MENTAL HEALTH

Older Michiganians Reporting Frequent Mental Distress

BRFSS, a household survey conducted 

in all 50 states and several territories, 

asks the following question: “Now 

thinking about your mental health, 

which includes stress, depression, 

and problems with emotions, for how 

many days during the past 30 days 

was your mental health not good?” 

Those individuals reporting 14 or 

more “Yes” days in response to this 

question experience frequent mental 

distress (FMD). Exhibit 12 shows that 

Michiganians in the 50–64 age group 

experience FMD at a rate that is higher 

than the regional and national rates, 

while those in the 65+ age group 

experience it at a rate that is higher 

than the regional rate and lower than 

the national rate.

13.1%

13.8%

6.7%

12.6%

11.9%

6.3%

12.3%

13.0%

7.2%

0%

2%

4%

6%

8%

10%

12%

14%

16%

18 to 49 50 to 64 65+

Michigan Region 5 U.S.

Exhibit 12. Individuals Reporting Frequent Mental Distress 

in Michigan, Region 5, and the United States, 2013

Proportion Reporting Frequent Mental Distress

Source: BRFSS, 2013

Older Michiganians Reporting Frequent Mental Distress by Age Group and Sex

Older men in Michigan were more likely 

to indulge in binge drinking, but older 

women were more likely to report that 

they had FMD (14 days or more per 

30-day period). As Exhibit 13 shows, 

15.7 percent of women in the 50–64 age 

group and 6.8 percent in the 65+ age 

group reported FMD, while 11.9 percent 

of men in the 50–64 age group and 

6.7 percent in the 65+ age group 

reported FMD.

11.4%

14.6%

11.9%

15.7%

6.7% 6.8%

0%

2%

4%

6%

8%

10%

12%

14%

16%

18%

Male Female

18 to 49 50 to 64 65+

Exhibit 13. Michiganians Reporting Frequent Mental 

Distress by Age Group and Sex, 2013

Proportion Reporting Frequent Mental Distress

Source: BRFSS, 2013
8

Michigan Michigan Profile 2016

Other Measures of Mental Health

BRFSS collected other measures showing risk factors for mental and/or physical illness. These included:

• Social and Emotional Support (2010). BRFSS asked, “How often do you get the social and emotional 

support you need?” The possible responses were always, usually, sometimes, rarely, or never. 

• Life Satisfaction (2010). BRFSS asked, “In general, how satisfied are you with your life?” The possible 

responses were very satisfied, satisfied, dissatisfied, or very dissatisfied.

Exhibit 14 presents the results of these surveys among older Michiganians.

Exhibit 14. BRFSS Measures, 2010

Indicator Ages 50+ Ages 50–64 Ages 65+

Rarely or never get social 

or emotional support 7.3% 5.3% 10.4%

Dissatisfied or very 

dissatisfied 4.2% 5.2% 2.8%

Source: BRFSS, 2010

Individuals With Frequent Mental Distress Report High Rates of Poor Physical 

Health

Older Americans who experienced FMD 

were more likely to report that their 

physical health was poor (14 days or 

more in the past 30-day period when 

physical health was “not good”). As 

shown in Exhibit 15, although nearly 

11 percent of older Americans with no 

mental distress reported poor physical 

health, more than 50 percent of those 

with FMD reported poor physical health.

10.8%

18.1%

52.4%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

No mental distress Some mental distress Frequent mental distress

Exhibit 15. Individuals Ages 50+ in the United States 

Reporting Poor Physical Health by Level of Mental 

Distress, 2013

Proportion Reporting Poor Physical Health

Source: BRFSS, 2013
Alabama ALABAMA Profile 2015 Michigan Michigan Profile 2016

9

Relationship Among Mental Distress, Diabetes, Stroke, Heart Attack, 

High Blood Pressure, and Coronary Disease

Older Americans who experience FMD 

are more likely to report that they have 

health problems. People with FMD 

were more than twice as likely to report 

having a stroke than those with some 

or no mental distress. They experienced 

coronary disease and heart attack at 

more than 1.6 times, diabetes at more 

than 1.4 times, and high blood pressure 

at nearly 1.2 times the rate of those with 

some or no mental distress.

10.1%

13.3% 13.2%

25.9%

60.6%

4.7%

7.6% 7.8%

17.7%

51.1%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Stroke Coronary disease Heart attack Diabetes High blood pressure

Frequent mental distress Some or no mental distress

Exhibit 16. Individuals Ages 50+ in the United States 

With Mental Distress and Serious Health Problems, 2013

Proportion Reporting Health Problems by Mental Health Category

Source: BRFSS, 2013

Older Michiganians Admitted to State Mental Health Services

Approximately 4.8 percent of the people served by the Michigan mental health system were ages 65 and 

older. This represents more than 11,860 adults.

Source: Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) Uniform Reporting System (URS) Output Tables, 2014
10 Michigan Michigan Profile 2016

DATA SOURCES

BEHAVIORAL RISK FACTOR SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM (www.cdc.gov/brfss). BRFSS, managed by CDC, 

is the largest ongoing telephone health survey system in the world, tracking health conditions and risk 

behaviors in the United States annually since 1984. Data are collected on a monthly basis in all 50 states, 

the District of Columbia, and participating territories. BRFSS data are collected by local jurisdictions and 

reported to CDC.

CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION, NATIONAL CENTER FOR HEALTH 

STATISTICS, UNDERLYING CAUSE OF DEATH 1999-2013 ON CDC WONDER ONLINE DATABASE, 

RELEASED 2015 (http://wonder.cdc.gov/ucd-icd10.html). The WONDER online database “contains 

mortality and population counts for all U.S. counties. Data are based on death certificates for U.S. 

residents. Each death certificate identifies a single underlying cause of death and demographic data. 

The number of deaths, crude death rates or age-adjusted death rates, and 95% confidence intervals 

and standard errors for death rates can be obtained by place of residence (total U.S., region, state and 

county), age group (single-year-of age, 5-year age groups, 10-year age groups and infant age groups), 

race, Hispanic ethnicity, gender, year, cause-of-death (4-digit ICD-10 code or group of codes), injury 

intent and injury mechanism, drug/alcohol induced causes and urbanization categories. Data are also 

available for place of death, month and week day of death, and whether an autopsy was performed.”

CENTER FOR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES UNIFORM REPORTING SYSTEM (www.samhsa.gov/data

/us_map). States that receive CMHS Block Grants are required to report aggregate data to URS. URS 

reports include information about utilization of mental health services and client demographic and 

outcome information.

NATIONAL SURVEY ON DRUG USE AND HEALTH (https://nsduhweb.rti.org). The NSDUH, managed 

by SAMHSA, is “an annual nationwide survey involving interviews with approximately 70,000 randomly 

selected individuals aged 12 and older.” NSDUH data are most frequently used by state planners 

to assess the need for SUD treatment. NSDUH data also include information about mental health 

conditions.

TREATMENT EPISODE DATA SET (www.samhsa.gov/data/client-level-data-teds/reports?tab=19). States 

that receive Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant funds submit individual client data 

to TEDS. TEDS includes both admission and discharge data sets, and some 1.5 million admissions are 

reported annually. TEDS includes information about utilization of SUD treatment services and client 

demographic and outcome information. TEDS is an admission-based system, and TEDS admissions do 

not represent individuals. Thus, an individual admitted to treatment twice within a calendar year would 

be counted as two admissions.

U.S. CENSUS BUREAU (www.census.gov/people). Two main sources of Census Bureau data were used 

in this report: (1) population estimates and (2) population projections.
OLDER ADULTS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROFILE

Minnesota
OLDER ADULTS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROFILE

MINNESOTA’S POPULATION

Minnesota Population by Age Group

Minnesota is home to 5,457,173 people. 

Of these:

• 1,897,121 (34.8 percent) are over age 50.

• 1,107,299 (20.3 percent) are over age 60.

• 529,695 (9.7 percent) are over age 70.

• 216,507 (4.0 percent) are ages 80 and

older.

The proportion of women rises fairly 

steadily in each age group, and women 

make up 62.2 percent of the 80+ group. 

The racial/ethnic composition of older 

Minnesotans is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity of Minnesotans 

Ages 50+

White AI/AN Black Asian NH/PI Other Hispanic

93.5% 0.8% 2.9% 2.2% 0.0% 0.6% 1.7%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2015

AI/AN stands for American Indian and Alaska Native. 

NH/PI stands for Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander.

363 365 371 364 346

394

283

145

82

348 350 359 354 341

396

295

168

135

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

0 to 9 10 to 19 20 to 29 30 to 39 40 to 49 50 to 59 60 to 69 70 to 79 80+

Male Female

Population in 1,000s

Exhibit 1. Minnesota Population by Age Group, 2014

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2015

The Number of Older Minnesotans Is Growing

The proportion of Minnesota’s 

population that is 65 and older is 

growing while the proportion that 

is younger than 65 is shrinking. The 

U.S. Census Bureau estimates that 

18.9 percent of Minnesota’s population 

will be 65 and older by the year 2030, 

an increase of 54.1 percent from 2015.

Projected Population in Minnesota

Age Group 2015 2025 2030

Under 18 23.8% 24.1% 23.9%

18 to 44 36.5% 35.3% 34.2%

45 to 64 26.0% 23.2% 23.0%

65+ 13.7% 17.4% 18.9%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2005 0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030

Under 18 18 to 44 45 to 64 65+

Exhibit 2. Minnesota Population by Age Group, 

2000–2030

Population in 1,000s

August 2016

Minnesota
2

Minnesota Minnesota Profile 2016

SUICIDE AMONG OLDER MINNESOTANS

Minnesota Suicide Rate Compared With Regional and National Rates

The suicide rate among Minnesotans 

ages 50 and older is higher than the rate 

among younger age groups. In 2013, 

the total suicide rate among all people 

ages 50+ was 16.1 per 100,000 people 

(6.4 for women and 26.9 for men). The 

rate among those ages 50–64 was higher 

than the rate in the region (including 

Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and 

Wisconsin) and lower than the rate in 

the United States.

States vary in their reporting of suicides. 

The suicide rate is influenced by these 

reporting practices.

12.5

10.6

17.9

13.5

12.7

11.0

17.2

14.0

13.0

10.6

19.0

16.1

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

All Under 50 50 to 64 65+

Minnesota Region 5 U.S.

Exhibit 3. Suicide Rates in Minnesota, Region 5, and the 

United States, 2013

Suicide Rate per 100,000 Population

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Center 

for Health Statistics (NCHS), Underlying Cause of Death 1999-2013 on CDC 

WONDER Online Database, released 2015

Trends in Suicide Rates in Minnesota

The suicide rate among Minnesotans 

ages 50+ fluctuated from a low of 

10.9 per 100,000 in 2004 to a high of 

16.4 per 100,000 in 2011. From 2004 

to 2013, the rate was highest among 

those in the 50–64 age group.

How a state reports suicides can 

vary from year to year. The number 

of suicides is generally low, so even a 

small difference in reported numbers 

may make the rate fluctuate widely.

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

All ages Under 50 50+ 50 to 64 65+

Exhibit 4. Trends in Suicide Rates in Minnesota by Age 

Group, 2004–2013

Suicide Rate per 100,000 Population

Source: CDC, NCHS, Underlying Cause of Death 1999-2013 on CDC WONDER 

Online Database, released 2015
Alabama ALABAMA Profile 2015 Minnesota Minnesota Profile 2016

3

SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER 

TREATMENT AMONG OLDER MINNESOTANS

30-Day Binge Drinking Among Older Minnesotans

Binge drinking, defined as five or more 

drinks for men and four or more drinks for 

women on a single occasion, can lead to 

serious health problems. Such problems 

include neurological damage, cardiovascular 

disease, liver disease, stroke, and poor 

control of diabetes. Binge drinkers are 

more likely to take risks such as driving 

while intoxicated and to experience falls 

and other accidents. Older people have a 

lower tolerance for alcohol. Binge drinking 

decreases with age and occurs more 

frequently among men than it does among 

women. As Exhibit 5 shows, 23.2 percent 

of Minnesota men ages 50–64 reported 

binge drinking in the past 30 days, while 

6.5 percent of those in the 65+ group 

reported similar behavior. 

34.8%

23.2% 

6.5%

21.4%

13.0%

2.4% 0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

18 to 49 50 to 64 65+

Male Female

Exhibit 5. Binge Drinking Rates in Minnesota by Age 

Group and Sex, 2013

Proportion of Population Engaging in Binge Drinking

Source: Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), 2013

Illicit Drug Use Among Older Americans

Nationally, the rate of illicit drug use 

among older adults ages 50–64 more 

than doubled from 2002 to 2013. 

This development partially reflects 

the entrance into this age group of 

the baby boom cohort, whose rates 

of illicit drug use have been higher 

than those of older cohorts. Although 

state-specific data are not available, 

the Minnesota Behavioral Health 

Barometer is available for download 

from the Substance Abuse and 

Mental Health Services Administration 

(SAMHSA) website (www.samhsa.gov 

/data/population-data-nsduh 

/reports?tab=33). 0%

1%

2%

3%

4%

5%

6%

7%

8%

9%

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

50 to 54 55 to 59 60 to 64

Exhibit 6. Illicit Drug Use Among Older Americans, 

2002–2013

Proportion Using in Past Month

Source: National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 2013

Illicit drug use includes illegal drugs and prescription drugs used nonmedically. SAMHSA 

provides a list of drugs included in its survey in the NSDUH methodological summary.
4

Minnesota Minnesota Profile 2016

Admissions to Substance Use Disorder Treatment Among Older Minnesotans

In 2012, there were 7,341 admissions 

of Minnesotans ages 50 and older 

to substance use disorder (SUD) 

treatment in state-funded treatment 

programs, a rate of 387.0 per 100,000 

people ages 50+. This rate was higher 

than the regional rate and the national 

average. Men made up 66.2 percent of 

these admissions. Of all admissions, 

79.5 percent were White/Caucasian, 

13.1 percent were Black/African 

American, and 2.1 percent were 

Hispanic.

The principal sources of referral to 

treatment among those ages 50 and 

older were: 

Self-Referral Criminal Justice Other

36.5% 17.6% 45.9%

538.0

285.9

383.2

249.5

111.0 120.3

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

Minnesota Region 5 U.S.

Male Female

Exhibit 7. SUD Treatment Admissions of Adults Ages 50+ 

in Minnesota, Region 5, and the United States by Sex, 2012

SUD Admission Rate per 100,000 Population

Source: Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS), 20121

1

 TEDS data are collected by states as a condition of the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant. Guidelines suggest that states report all clients 

admitted to publicly financed treatment; however, states are inconsistent in applying the guidelines. States may structure and implement different quality controls 

over the data. For example, states may collect different categories of information to answer TEDS questions. Information is then “walked over” to TEDS definitions.

Data include only those clients reported to SAMHSA.

SUD Treatment Admissions Among Individuals in Region 5 Ages 50+ by 

Insurance Type 

States may choose not to report some of 

the fields to TEDS, including information 

on treatment admission insurance 

types. These data were not reported by 

Minnesota in 2012. Therefore, the rates 

for Region 5 are used instead.

In Region 5, 59.9 percent of older 

adult admissions to SUD treatment 

were uninsured, 25.9 percent had 

Medicaid, 10.2 percent had Medicare, 

and 3.9 percent had private insurance.

SUD Treatment Admissions Among 

Minnesotans Ages 50+ by Primary 

Sources of Payment

Self-Pay Medicaid Other

Data not 

available

Data not 

available

Data not 

available

Exhibit 8 and the accompanying text reflect the type of 

health insurance (if any) clients had at admission; the table 

above represents primary sources of payment.

3.9%

25.9%

10.2%

59.9%

14.9%

20.4%

10.8%

53.9%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Private Medicaid Medicare None

Region 5 U.S.

Exhibit 8. SUD Treatment Admissions of Adults Ages 50+ 

in Region 5 and the United States by Insurance Type, 2012

Proportion of SUD Treatment Admissions of Adults Ages 50+ by Insurance Type

Source: TEDS, 2012

Data include only those clients reported to SAMHSA.
Alabama ALABAMA Profile 2015 Minnesota Minnesota Profile 2016

5

Alcohol Use Disorder Treatment Admissions Among Minnesotans Ages 50+

Alcohol was the most frequently cited 

substance used by older Minnesotans 

in publicly financed SUD treatment in 

2012. It was mentioned as a substance 

of use in 76.6 percent of admissions 

among those ages 50+. This was 

higher than the regional and national 

rates.

76.6%

62.1% 62.1%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

Minnesota Region 5 U.S.

Exhibit 9. Alcohol Use Treatment Admissions of Adults 

Ages 50+ in Minnesota, Region 5, and the United States, 

2012

Proportion of Treatment Admissions 50+ With Primary Alcohol Use Disorder

Source: TEDS, 2012

Data include only those clients reported to SAMHSA.

SUD Treatment Admissions for Non-Alcohol Substance Use

Substances other than alcohol were 

cited as the primary substances of 

use for 23.4 percent of older adult 

admissions to publicly funded 

treatment in Minnesota.

23.4%

37.9% 37.9%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

Minnesota Region 5 U.S.

Exhibit 10. Non-Alcohol Substance Use Treatment 

Admissions of Adults Ages 50+ in Minnesota, Region 5, 

and the United States, 2012

Proportion of Treatment Admissions 50+ With Other Primary Substance Use Disorder

Source: TEDS, 2012

Data include only those clients reported to SAMHSA.
6

Minnesota Minnesota Profile 2016

Drug-Related Emergency Department Visits Involving Pharmaceutical Misuse 

and Abuse by Older Adults

SAMHSA periodically releases reports from the Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN). DAWN, discontinued 

in 2011, consisted of a nationwide network of hospital emergency departments (EDs) primarily located in 

large metropolitan areas. DAWN data consist of professional reviews of ED records to determine the extent 

to which alcohol and other substance abuse was involved in ED visits. According to the November 25, 2010, 

DAWN Report:

• In 2004, there were an estimated 115,803 ED visits involving pharmaceutical misuse and abuse by adults 

aged 50 or older; in 2008, there were 256,097 such visits, representing an increase of 121.1 percent 

• One fifth (19.7 percent) of ED visits involving pharmaceutical misuse and abuse among older adults were 

made by persons aged 70 or older 

• Among ED visits made by older adults, pain relievers were the type of pharmaceutical most commonly 

involved (43.5 percent), followed by drugs used to treat anxiety or insomnia (31.8 percent) and 

antidepressants (8.6 percent) 

• Among patients aged 50 or older who visited the ED for pharmaceutical misuse or abuse, more than half 

(52.3 percent) were treated and released, and more than one third (37.5 percent) were admitted to the 

hospital 

Bulleted text in italics above is taken from SAMHSA’s Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality. (2010, November 25). The DAWN Report: Drugrelated emergency department visits involving pharmaceutical misuse and abuse by older adults. Rockville, MD: SAMHSA.

CO-OCCURRING SUBSTANCE USE AND MENTAL DISORDERS

Older Minnesotans in SUD Treatment With Co-Occurring Mental Disorders

The national literature shows a strong 

relationship between substance use 

and mental disorders. Studies show 

that 30–80 percent of individuals with a 

substance use or mental disorder also 

have a co-occurring disorder.

States may choose not to report 

some of the fields to TEDS, including 

information on SUD treatment 

admissions with a co-occurring 

disorder. These data were not reported 

by Minnesota in 2012. Therefore, 

Exhibit 11 shows regional and national 

figures only. 

17.4%

33.7%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

Region 5 U.S.

Exhibit 11. SUD Treatment Admissions of Adults Ages 50+ 

With a Co-Occurring Mental Disorder in Region 5 and the 

United States, 2012

Proportion of Treatment Admissions 50+ With Co-Occurring Disorders

Source: TEDS, 2012

Data include only those clients reported to SAMHSA.
Alabama ALABAMA Profile 2015 Minnesota Minnesota Profile 2016

7

MENTAL HEALTH

Older Minnesotans Reporting Frequent Mental Distress

BRFSS, a household survey conducted 

in all 50 states and several territories, 

asks the following question: “Now 

thinking about your mental health, 

which includes stress, depression, 

and problems with emotions, for how 

many days during the past 30 days 

was your mental health not good?” 

Those individuals reporting 14 or more 

“Yes” days in response to this question 

experience frequent mental distress 

(FMD). Exhibit 12 shows that older 

Minnesotans experience FMD at a rate 

that is lower than the regional and 

national rates.

9.5% 9.5%

3.7%

12.6%

11.9%

6.3%

12.3%

13.0%

7.2%

0%

2%

4%

6%

8%

10%

12%

14%

18 to 49 50 to 64 65+

Minnesota Region 5 U.S.

Exhibit 12. Individuals Reporting Frequent Mental Distress 

in Minnesota, Region 5, and the United States, 2013

Proportion Reporting Frequent Mental Distress

Source: BRFSS, 2013

Older Minnesotans Reporting Frequent Mental Distress by Age Group and Sex

As Exhibit 13 shows, 6.4 percent of men 

in the 50–64 age group reported FMD 

(14 days or more per 30-day period) 

compared with 12.6 percent of women 

in this age group. Men in the 65+ age 

group reported a higher rate of FMD 

than women in the same age group 

(4.3 percent compared with 3.3 percent). 

Illinois is the only other state in the 

region where men in the 65+ age group 

reported a higher rate of FMD than did 

women in this age group.

8.7%

10.2%

6.4%

12.6%

4.3%

3.3%

0%

2%

4%

6%

8%

10%

12%

14%

Male Female

18 to 49 50 to 64 65+

Exhibit 13. Minnesotans Reporting Frequent Mental 

Distress by Age Group and Sex, 2013

Proportion Reporting Frequent Mental Distress

Source: BRFSS, 2013
8

Minnesota Minnesota Profile 2016

Other Measures of Mental Health

BRFSS collected other measures showing risk factors for mental and/or physical illness. These included:

• Social and Emotional Support (2010). BRFSS asked, “How often do you get the social and emotional 

support you need?” The possible responses were always, usually, sometimes, rarely, or never. 

• Life Satisfaction (2010). BRFSS asked, “In general, how satisfied are you with your life?” The possible 

responses were very satisfied, satisfied, dissatisfied, or very dissatisfied.

Exhibit 14 presents the results of these surveys among older Minnesotans.

Exhibit 14. BRFSS Measures, 2010

Indicator Ages 50+ Ages 50–64 Ages 65+

Rarely or never get social 

or emotional support 6.7% 5.0% 9.5%

Dissatisfied or very 

dissatisfied 4.3% 5.6% 2.2%

Source: BRFSS, 2010

Individuals With Frequent Mental Distress Report High Rates of Poor Physical 

Health

Older Americans who experienced FMD 

were more likely to report that their 

physical health was poor (14 days or 

more in the past 30-day period when 

physical health was “not good”). As 

shown in Exhibit 15, although nearly 

11 percent of older Americans with no 

mental distress reported poor physical 

health, more than 50 percent of those 

with FMD reported poor physical health.

10.8%

18.1%

52.4%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

No mental distress Some mental distress Frequent mental distress

Exhibit 15. Individuals Ages 50+ in the United States 

Reporting Poor Physical Health by Level of Mental 

Distress, 2013

Proportion Reporting Poor Physical Health

Source: BRFSS, 2013
Alabama ALABAMA Profile 2015 Minnesota Minnesota Profile 2016

9

Relationship Among Mental Distress, Diabetes, Stroke, Heart Attack, 

High Blood Pressure, and Coronary Disease

Older Americans who experience FMD 

are more likely to report that they have 

health problems. People with FMD 

were more than twice as likely to report 

having a stroke than those with some 

or no mental distress. They experienced 

coronary disease and heart attack at 

more than 1.6 times, diabetes at more 

than 1.4 times, and high blood pressure 

at nearly 1.2 times the rate of those with 

some or no mental distress.

10.1%

13.3% 13.2%

25.9%

60.6%

4.7%

7.6% 7.8%

17.7%

51.1%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Stroke Coronary disease Heart attack Diabetes High blood pressure

Frequent mental distress Some or no mental distress

Exhibit 16. Individuals Ages 50+ in the United States 

With Mental Distress and Serious Health Problems, 2013

Proportion Reporting Health Problems by Mental Health Category

Source: BRFSS, 2013

Older Minnesotans Admitted to State Mental Health Services

Approximately 5.8 percent of the people served by the Minnesota mental health system were ages 65 and 

older. This represents more than 11,660 adults.

Source: Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) Uniform Reporting System (URS) Output Tables, 2014
10 Minnesota Minnesota Profile 2016

DATA SOURCES

BEHAVIORAL RISK FACTOR SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM (www.cdc.gov/brfss). BRFSS, managed by CDC, 

is the largest ongoing telephone health survey system in the world, tracking health conditions and risk 

behaviors in the United States annually since 1984. Data are collected on a monthly basis in all 50 states, 

the District of Columbia, and participating territories. BRFSS data are collected by local jurisdictions and 

reported to CDC.

CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION, NATIONAL CENTER FOR HEALTH 

STATISTICS, UNDERLYING CAUSE OF DEATH 1999-2013 ON CDC WONDER ONLINE DATABASE, 

RELEASED 2015 (http://wonder.cdc.gov/ucd-icd10.html). The WONDER online database “contains 

mortality and population counts for all U.S. counties. Data are based on death certificates for U.S. 

residents. Each death certificate identifies a single underlying cause of death and demographic data. 

The number of deaths, crude death rates or age-adjusted death rates, and 95% confidence intervals 

and standard errors for death rates can be obtained by place of residence (total U.S., region, state and 

county), age group (single-year-of age, 5-year age groups, 10-year age groups and infant age groups), 

race, Hispanic ethnicity, gender, year, cause-of-death (4-digit ICD-10 code or group of codes), injury 

intent and injury mechanism, drug/alcohol induced causes and urbanization categories. Data are also 

available for place of death, month and week day of death, and whether an autopsy was performed.”

CENTER FOR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES UNIFORM REPORTING SYSTEM (www.samhsa.gov/data

/us_map). States that receive CMHS Block Grants are required to report aggregate data to URS. URS 

reports include information about utilization of mental health services and client demographic and 

outcome information.

NATIONAL SURVEY ON DRUG USE AND HEALTH (https://nsduhweb.rti.org). The NSDUH, managed 

by SAMHSA, is “an annual nationwide survey involving interviews with approximately 70,000 randomly 

selected individuals aged 12 and older.” NSDUH data are most frequently used by state planners 

to assess the need for SUD treatment. NSDUH data also include information about mental health 

conditions.

TREATMENT EPISODE DATA SET (www.samhsa.gov/data/client-level-data-teds/reports?tab=19). States 

that receive Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant funds submit individual client data 

to TEDS. TEDS includes both admission and discharge data sets, and some 1.5 million admissions are 

reported annually. TEDS includes information about utilization of SUD treatment services and client 

demographic and outcome information. TEDS is an admission-based system, and TEDS admissions do 

not represent individuals. Thus, an individual admitted to treatment twice within a calendar year would 

be counted as two admissions.

U.S. CENSUS BUREAU (www.census.gov/people). Two main sources of Census Bureau data were used 

in this report: (1) population estimates and (2) population projections.
OLDER ADULTS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROFILE

Ohio
OLDER ADULTS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROFILE

OHIO’S POPULATION

Ohio Population by Age Group

Ohio is home to 11,594,163 people. Of 

these:

• 4,222,362 (36.4 percent) are over age 50.

• 2,527,164 (21.8 percent) are over age 60.

• 1,214,105 (10.5 percent) are over age 70.

• 481,093 (4.1 percent) are ages 80 and

older.

The proportion of women rises fairly 

steadily in each age group, and women 

make up 63.5 percent of the 80+ group. 

The racial/ethnic composition of older 

Ohioans is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity of Ohioans 

Ages 50+

White AI/AN Black Asian NH/PI Other Hispanic

87.9% 0.2% 10.0% 1.2% 0.0% 0.7% 1.5%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2015

AI/AN stands for American Indian and Alaska Native. 

NH/PI stands for Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander.

725 782 776

697 736

828

628

327

176

694

746 763

705

748

867

686

406

305

0

200

400

600

800

1,000

1,200

1,400

1,600

1,800

0 to 9 10 to 19 20 to 29 30 to 39 40 to 49 50 to 59 60 to 69 70 to 79 80+

Male Female

Population in 1,000s

Exhibit 1. Ohio Population by Age Group, 2014

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2015

The Number of Older Ohioans Is Growing

The proportion of Ohio’s population 

that is 65 and older is growing while 

the proportion that is younger than 65 

is shrinking. The U.S. Census Bureau 

estimates that 20.4 percent of Ohio’s 

population will be 65 and older by the 

year 2030, an increase of 33.4 percent 

from 2015.

Projected Population in Ohio

Age Group 2015 2025 2030

Under 18 23.4% 23.0% 22.9%

18 to 44 34.8% 34.0% 33.4%

45 to 64 26.6% 24.0% 23.4%

65+ 15.2% 19.0% 20.4%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2005

Exhibit 2. Ohio Population by Age Group, 2000–2030

5,000

4,500

4,000

3,500

tion in 1,000s 3,000

2,500

2,000

Popula

1,500

1,000

500

0

2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030

Under 18 18 to 44 45 to 64 65+

Ohio

August 2016
2

Ohio Ohio Profile 2016

SUICIDE AMONG OLDER OHIOANS

Ohio Suicide Rate Compared With Regional and National Rates

The suicide rate among Ohioans ages 

50 and older is higher than the rate 

among younger age groups. In 2013, the 

total suicide rate among all people ages 

50+ was 16.7 per 100,000 people (6.4 

for women and 28.7 for men). The rate 

among those ages 50–64 was higher than 

the rate in the region (including Illinois, 

Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, and 

Wisconsin) and lower than the rate in 

the United States.

States vary in their reporting of suicides. 

The suicide rate is influenced by these 

reporting practices.

13.2

11.2

17.8

15.2

12.7

11.0

17.2

14.0

13.0

10.6

19.0

16.1

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

All Under 50 50 to 64 65+

Ohio Region 5 U.S.

Exhibit 3. Suicide Rates in Ohio, Region 5, and the United 

States, 2013

Suicide Rate per 100,000 Population

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Center 

for Health Statistics (NCHS), Underlying Cause of Death 1999-2013 on CDC 

WONDER Online Database, released 2015

Trends in Suicide Rates in Ohio

The suicide rate among Ohioans ages 

50+ fluctuated from a low of 12.2 per 

100,000 in 2009 to a high of 17.0 per 

100,000 in 2012. From 2004 to 2013, 

the rate was highest among those in 

the 50–64 age group.

How a state reports suicides can 

vary from year to year. The number 

of suicides is generally low, so even a 

small difference in reported numbers 

may make the rate fluctuate widely.

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

All ages Under 50 50+ 50 to 64 65+

Exhibit 4. Trends in Suicide Rates in Ohio by Age Group, 

2004–2013

Suicide Rate per 100,000 Population

Source: CDC, NCHS, Underlying Cause of Death 1999-2013 on CDC WONDER 

Online Database, released 2015
Alabama ALABAMA Profile 2015 Ohio Ohio Profile 2016

3

SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER 

TREATMENT AMONG OLDER OHIOANS

30-Day Binge Drinking Among Older Ohioans

Binge drinking, defined as five or more 

drinks for men and four or more drinks for 

women on a single occasion, can lead to 

serious health problems. Such problems 

include neurological damage, cardiovascular 

disease, liver disease, stroke, and poor 

control of diabetes. Binge drinkers are 

more likely to take risks such as driving 

while intoxicated and to experience falls 

and other accidents. Older people have a 

lower tolerance for alcohol. Binge drinking 

decreases with age and occurs more 

frequently among men than it does among 

women. As Exhibit 5 shows, 18.4 percent 

of Ohio men ages 50–64 reported binge 

drinking in the past 30 days, while 

6.1 percent of those in the 65+ group 

reported similar behavior. 

29.9%

18.4% 

6.1%

18.2%

8.8%

2.4% 0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

18 to 49 50 to 64 65+

Male Female

Exhibit 5. Binge Drinking Rates in Ohio by Age Group 

and Sex, 2013

Proportion of Population Engaging in Binge Drinking

Source: Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), 2013

Illicit Drug Use Among Older Americans

Nationally, the rate of illicit drug use 

among older adults ages 50–64 more 

than doubled from 2002 to 2013. 

This development partially reflects 

the entrance into this age group of 

the baby boom cohort, whose rates 

of illicit drug use have been higher 

than those of older cohorts. Although 

state-specific data are not available, 

the Ohio Behavioral Health Barometer

is available for download from the 

Substance Abuse and Mental Health 

Services Administration (SAMHSA) 

website (www.samhsa.gov 

/data/population-data-nsduh 

/reports?tab=33). 0%

1%

2%

3%

4%

5%

6%

7%

8%

9%

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

50 to 54 55 to 59 60 to 64

Exhibit 6. Illicit Drug Use Among Older Americans, 

2002–2013

Proportion Using in Past Month

Source: National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 2013

Illicit drug use includes illegal drugs and prescription drugs used nonmedically. SAMHSA 

provides a list of drugs included in its survey in the NSDUH methodological summary.
4

Ohio Ohio Profile 2016

Admissions to Substance Use Disorder Treatment Among Older Ohioans

In 2012, there were 6,077 admissions of 

Ohioans ages 50 and older to substance 

use disorder (SUD) treatment in statefunded treatment programs, a rate 

of 143.9 per 100,000 people ages 

50+. This rate was lower than the 

regional rate and the national average. 

Men made up 69.9 percent of these 

admissions. Of all admissions, 

63.4 percent were White/Caucasian, 

35.9 percent were Black/African 

American, and 1.1 percent were 

Hispanic.

The principal sources of referral to 

treatment among those ages 50 and 

older were: 

Self-Referral Criminal Justice Other

33.0% 40.4% 26.5%

216.8

285.9

383.2

80.8

111.0 120.3

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

Ohio Region 5 U.S.

Male Female

Exhibit 7. SUD Treatment Admissions of Adults Ages 50+ 

in Ohio, Region 5, and the United States by Sex, 2012

SUD Admission Rate per 100,000 Population

Source: Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS), 20121

1

 TEDS data are collected by states as a condition of the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant. Guidelines suggest that states report all clients 

admitted to publicly financed treatment; however, states are inconsistent in applying the guidelines. States may structure and implement different quality controls 

over the data. For example, states may collect different categories of information to answer TEDS questions. Information is then “walked over” to TEDS definitions.

Data include only those clients reported to SAMHSA.

SUD Treatment Admissions Among Individuals in Region 5 Ages 50+ by 

Insurance Type 

States may choose not to report some of 

the fields to TEDS, including information 

on treatment admission insurance 

types. These data were not reported by 

Ohio in 2012. Therefore, the rates for 

Region 5 are used instead.

In Region 5, 59.9 percent of older 

adult admissions to SUD treatment 

were uninsured, 25.9 percent had 

Medicaid, 10.2 percent had Medicare, 

and 3.9 percent had private insurance.

SUD Treatment Admissions Among 

Ohioans Ages 50+ by Primary Sources 

of Payment

Self-Pay Medicaid Other

Data not 

available

Data not 

available

Data not 

available

Exhibit 8 and the accompanying text reflect the type of 

health insurance (if any) clients had at admission; the table 

above represents primary sources of payment.

3.9%

25.9%

10.2%

59.9%

14.9%

20.4%

10.8%

53.9%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Private Medicaid Medicare None

Region 5 U.S.

Exhibit 8. SUD Treatment Admissions of Adults Ages 50+ 

in Region 5 and the United States by Insurance Type, 2012

Proportion of SUD Treatment Admissions of Adults Ages 50+ by Insurance Type

Source: TEDS, 2012

Data include only those clients reported to SAMHSA.
Alabama ALABAMA Profile 2015 Ohio Ohio Profile 2016

5

Alcohol Use Disorder Treatment Admissions Among Ohioans Ages 50+

Alcohol was the most frequently cited 

substance used by older Ohioans in 

publicly financed SUD treatment in 

2012. It was mentioned as a substance 

of use in 55.2 percent of admissions 

among those ages 50+. This was lower 

than the regional and national rates.

55.2%

62.1% 62.1%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

Ohio Region 5 U.S.

Exhibit 9. Alcohol Use Treatment Admissions of Adults 

Ages 50+ in Ohio, Region 5, and the United States, 2012

Proportion of Treatment Admissions 50+ With Primary Alcohol Use Disorder

Source: TEDS, 2012

Data include only those clients reported to SAMHSA.

SUD Treatment Admissions for Non-Alcohol Substance Use

Substances other than alcohol were 

cited as the primary substances of 

use for 44.8 percent of older adult 

admissions to publicly funded 

treatment in Ohio.

44.8%

37.9% 37.9%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

Ohio Region 5 U.S.

Exhibit 10. Non-Alcohol Substance Use Treatment 

Admissions of Adults Ages 50+ in Ohio, Region 5, and 

the United States, 2012

Proportion of Treatment Admissions 50+ With Other Primary Substance Use Disorder

Source: TEDS, 2012

Data include only those clients reported to SAMHSA.
6

Ohio Ohio Profile 2016

Drug-Related Emergency Department Visits Involving Pharmaceutical Misuse 

and Abuse by Older Adults

SAMHSA periodically releases reports from the Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN). DAWN, discontinued 

in 2011, consisted of a nationwide network of hospital emergency departments (EDs) primarily located in 

large metropolitan areas. DAWN data consist of professional reviews of ED records to determine the extent 

to which alcohol and other substance abuse was involved in ED visits. According to the November 25, 2010, 

DAWN Report:

• In 2004, there were an estimated 115,803 ED visits involving pharmaceutical misuse and abuse by adults 

aged 50 or older; in 2008, there were 256,097 such visits, representing an increase of 121.1 percent 

• One fifth (19.7 percent) of ED visits involving pharmaceutical misuse and abuse among older adults were 

made by persons aged 70 or older 

• Among ED visits made by older adults, pain relievers were the type of pharmaceutical most commonly 

involved (43.5 percent), followed by drugs used to treat anxiety or insomnia (31.8 percent) and 

antidepressants (8.6 percent) 

• Among patients aged 50 or older who visited the ED for pharmaceutical misuse or abuse, more than half 

(52.3 percent) were treated and released, and more than one third (37.5 percent) were admitted to the 

hospital 

Bulleted text in italics above is taken from SAMHSA’s Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality. (2010, November 25). The DAWN Report: Drugrelated emergency department visits involving pharmaceutical misuse and abuse by older adults. Rockville, MD: SAMHSA.

CO-OCCURRING SUBSTANCE USE AND MENTAL DISORDERS

Older Ohioans in SUD Treatment With Co-Occurring Mental Disorders

The national literature shows a strong 

relationship between substance use 

and mental disorders. Studies show 

that 30–80 percent of individuals with a 

substance use or mental disorder also 

have a co-occurring disorder. 

Exhibit 11 shows the proportion 

of SUD treatment admissions of 

Ohioans ages 50+ with a co-occurring 

mental disorder. This rate is higher 

than the regional rate and lower than 

the national average. However, state 

reporting practices are a factor in 

these results.

30.5%

17.4%

33.7%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

Ohio Region 5 U.S.

Exhibit 11. SUD Treatment Admissions of Adults Ages 50+ 

With a Co-Occurring Mental Disorder in Ohio, Region 5, 

and the United States, 2012

Proportion of Treatment Admissions 50+ With Co-Occurring Disorders

Source: TEDS, 2012

Data include only those clients reported to SAMHSA.
Alabama ALABAMA Profile 2015 Ohio Ohio Profile 2016

7

MENTAL HEALTH

Older Ohioans Reporting Frequent Mental Distress

BRFSS, a household survey conducted 

in all 50 states and several territories, 

asks the following question: “Now 

thinking about your mental health, 

which includes stress, depression, 

and problems with emotions, for how 

many days during the past 30 days 

was your mental health not good?” 

Those individuals reporting 14 or more 

“Yes” days in response to this question 

experience frequent mental distress 

(FMD). Exhibit 12 shows that older 

Ohioans experience FMD at a rate that 

is higher than the regional rate and 

roughly similar to the national rate.

13.4% 13.3%

6.9%

12.6%

11.9%

6.3%

12.3%

13.0%

7.2%

0%

2%

4%

6%

8%

10%

12%

14%

16%

18 to 49 50 to 64 65+

Ohio Region 5 U.S.

Exhibit 12. Individuals Reporting Frequent Mental Distress 

in Ohio, Region 5, and the United States, 2013

Proportion Reporting Frequent Mental Distress

Source: BRFSS, 2013

Older Ohioans Reporting Frequent Mental Distress by Age Group and Sex

Older men in Ohio were more likely 

to indulge in binge drinking, but older 

women were more likely to report that 

they had FMD (14 days or more per 

30-day period). As Exhibit 13 shows, 

16.1 percent of women in the 50–64 age 

group and 8.1 percent in the 65+ age 

group reported FMD, while 10.3 percent 

of men in the 50–64 age group and 

5.1 percent in the 65+ age group 

reported FMD.

9.9%

17.1%

10.3%

16.1%

5.1%

8.1%

0%

2%

4%

6%

8%

10%

12%

14%

16%

18%

Male Female

18 to 49 50 to 64 65+

Exhibit 13. Ohioans Reporting Frequent Mental Distress 

by Age Group and Sex, 2013

Proportion Reporting Frequent Mental Distress

Source: BRFSS, 2013
8

Ohio Ohio Profile 2016

Other Measures of Mental Health

BRFSS collected other measures showing risk factors for mental and/or physical illness. These included:

• Social and Emotional Support (2010). BRFSS asked, “How often do you get the social and emotional 

support you need?” The possible responses were always, usually, sometimes, rarely, or never. 

• Life Satisfaction (2010). BRFSS asked, “In general, how satisfied are you with your life?” The possible 

responses were very satisfied, satisfied, dissatisfied, or very dissatisfied.

Exhibit 14 presents the results of these surveys among older Ohioans.

Exhibit 14. BRFSS Measures, 2010

Indicator Ages 50+ Ages 50–64 Ages 65+

Rarely or never get social 

or emotional support 9.4% 7.6% 11.9%

Dissatisfied or very 

dissatisfied 5.8% 7.3% 3.6%

Source: BRFSS, 2010

Individuals With Frequent Mental Distress Report High Rates of Poor Physical 

Health

Older Americans who experienced FMD 

were more likely to report that their 

physical health was poor (14 days or 

more in the past 30-day period when 

physical health was “not good”). As 

shown in Exhibit 15, although nearly 

11 percent of older Americans with no 

mental distress reported poor physical 

health, more than 50 percent of those 

with FMD reported poor physical health.

10.8%

18.1%

52.4%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

No mental distress Some mental distress Frequent mental distress

Exhibit 15. Individuals Ages 50+ in the United States 

Reporting Poor Physical Health by Level of Mental 

Distress, 2013

Proportion Reporting Poor Physical Health

Source: BRFSS, 2013
Alabama ALABAMA Profile 2015 Ohio Ohio Profile 2016

9

Relationship Among Mental Distress, Diabetes, Stroke, Heart Attack, 

High Blood Pressure, and Coronary Disease

Older Americans who experience FMD 

are more likely to report that they have 

health problems. People with FMD 

were more than twice as likely to report 

having a stroke than those with some 

or no mental distress. They experienced 

coronary disease and heart attack at 

more than 1.6 times, diabetes at more 

than 1.4 times, and high blood pressure 

at nearly 1.2 times the rate of those with 

some or no mental distress.

10.1%

13.3% 13.2%

25.9%

60.6%

4.7%

7.6% 7.8%

17.7%

51.1%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Stroke Coronary disease Heart attack Diabetes High blood pressure

Frequent mental distress Some or no mental distress

Exhibit 16. Individuals Ages 50+ in the United States 

With Mental Distress and Serious Health Problems, 2013

Proportion Reporting Health Problems by Mental Health Category

Source: BRFSS, 2013

Older Ohioans Admitted to State Mental Health Services

Approximately 3.2 percent of the people served by the Ohio mental health system were ages 65 and older. 

This represents more than 12,570 adults.

Source: Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) Uniform Reporting System (URS) Output Tables, 2014
10 Ohio Ohio Profile 2016

DATA SOURCES

BEHAVIORAL RISK FACTOR SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM (www.cdc.gov/brfss). BRFSS, managed by CDC, 

is the largest ongoing telephone health survey system in the world, tracking health conditions and risk 

behaviors in the United States annually since 1984. Data are collected on a monthly basis in all 50 states, 

the District of Columbia, and participating territories. BRFSS data are collected by local jurisdictions and 

reported to CDC.

CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION, NATIONAL CENTER FOR HEALTH 

STATISTICS, UNDERLYING CAUSE OF DEATH 1999-2013 ON CDC WONDER ONLINE DATABASE, 

RELEASED 2015 (http://wonder.cdc.gov/ucd-icd10.html). The WONDER online database “contains 

mortality and population counts for all U.S. counties. Data are based on death certificates for U.S. 

residents. Each death certificate identifies a single underlying cause of death and demographic data. 

The number of deaths, crude death rates or age-adjusted death rates, and 95% confidence intervals 

and standard errors for death rates can be obtained by place of residence (total U.S., region, state and 

county), age group (single-year-of age, 5-year age groups, 10-year age groups and infant age groups), 

race, Hispanic ethnicity, gender, year, cause-of-death (4-digit ICD-10 code or group of codes), injury 

intent and injury mechanism, drug/alcohol induced causes and urbanization categories. Data are also 

available for place of death, month and week day of death, and whether an autopsy was performed.”

CENTER FOR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES UNIFORM REPORTING SYSTEM (www.samhsa.gov/data

/us_map). States that receive CMHS Block Grants are required to report aggregate data to URS. URS 

reports include information about utilization of mental health services and client demographic and 

outcome information.

NATIONAL SURVEY ON DRUG USE AND HEALTH (https://nsduhweb.rti.org). The NSDUH, managed 

by SAMHSA, is “an annual nationwide survey involving interviews with approximately 70,000 randomly 

selected individuals aged 12 and older.” NSDUH data are most frequently used by state planners 

to assess the need for SUD treatment. NSDUH data also include information about mental health 

conditions.

TREATMENT EPISODE DATA SET (www.samhsa.gov/data/client-level-data-teds/reports?tab=19). States 

that receive Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant funds submit individual client data 

to TEDS. TEDS includes both admission and discharge data sets, and some 1.5 million admissions are 

reported annually. TEDS includes information about utilization of SUD treatment services and client 

demographic and outcome information. TEDS is an admission-based system, and TEDS admissions do 

not represent individuals. Thus, an individual admitted to treatment twice within a calendar year would 

be counted as two admissions.

U.S. CENSUS BUREAU (www.census.gov/people). Two main sources of Census Bureau data were used 

in this report: (1) population estimates and (2) population projections.
OLDER ADULTS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROFILE

Wisconsin
OLDER ADULTS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROFILE

WISCONSIN’S POPULATION

Wisconsin Population by Age Group

Wisconsin is home to 5,757,564 people. 

Of these:

• 2,091,687 (36.3 percent) are over age 50.

• 1,236,999 (21.5 percent) are over age 60.

• 594,110 (10.3 percent) are over age 70.

• 241,714 (4.2 percent) are ages 80 and 

older.

The proportion of women rises fairly 

steadily in each age group, and women 

make up 62.6 percent of the 80+ group. 

The racial/ethnic composition of older 

Wisconsinites is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity of Wisconsinites 

Ages 50+

White AI/AN Black Asian NH/PI Other Hispanic

93.7% 0.7% 3.9% 1.2% 0.0% 0.5% 2.3%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2015

AI/AN stands for American Indian and Alaska Native. 

NH/PI stands for Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander.

360 385 388 363 368

426

317

163

90

344

369 375

352 363

429

326

189

151

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

0 to 9 10 to 19 20 to 29 30 to 39 40 to 49 50 to 59 60 to 69 70 to 79 80+

Male Female

Population in 1,000s

Exhibit 1. Wisconsin Population by Age Group, 2014

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2015

The Number of Older Wisconsinites Is Growing

The proportion of Wisconsin’s 

population that is 65 and older is 

growing while the proportion that 

is younger than 65 is shrinking. The 

U.S. Census Bureau estimates that 

21.3 percent of Wisconsin’s population 

will be 65 and older by the year 2030, 

an increase of 48.8 percent from 2015.

Projected Population in Wisconsin

Age Group 2015 2025 2030

Under 18 22.8% 22.6% 22.2%

18 to 44 35.1% 33.4% 32.3%

45 to 64 27.0% 24.5% 24.1%

65+ 15.0% 19.4% 21.3%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2005 0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030

Under 18 18 to 44 45 to 64 65+

Exhibit 2. Wisconsin Population by Age Group, 

2000–2030

Population in 1,000s

August 2016

Wisconsin
2

Wisconsin Wisconsin Profile 2016

SUICIDE AMONG OLDER WISCONSINITES

Wisconsin Suicide Rate Compared With Regional and National Rates

The suicide rate among Wisconsinites 

ages 50 and older is higher than the rate 

among younger age groups. In 2013, 

the total suicide rate among all people 

ages 50+ was 18.0 per 100,000 people 

(6.1 for women and 31.1 for men). 

The rate among those ages 50–64 was 

higher than both the rate in the region 

(including Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, 

Minnesota, and Ohio) and the rate in the 

United States.

States vary in their reporting of suicides. 

The suicide rate is influenced by these 

reporting practices.

14.8

13.0

20.2

14.8

12.7

11.0

17.2

14.0

13.0

10.6

19.0

16.1

0

5

10

15

20

25

All Under 50 50 to 64 65+

Wisconsin Region 5 U.S.

Exhibit 3. Suicide Rates in Wisconsin, Region 5, and the 

United States, 2013

Suicide Rate per 100,000 Population

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Center 

for Health Statistics (NCHS), Underlying Cause of Death 1999-2013 on CDC 

WONDER Online Database, released 2015

Trends in Suicide Rates in Wisconsin

The suicide rate among Wisconsinites 

ages 50+ fluctuated from a low of 

12.3 per 100,000 in 2005 to a high 

of 18.0 per 100,000 in 2013. From 

2004 to 2013, the rate was generally 

highest among those in the 50–64 

age group.

How a state reports suicides can 

vary from year to year. The number 

of suicides is generally low, so even a 

small difference in reported numbers 

may make the rate fluctuate widely.

0

5

10

15

20

25

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

All ages Under 50 50+ 50 to 64 65+

Exhibit 4. Trends in Suicide Rates in Wisconsin by Age 

Group, 2004–2013

Suicide Rate per 100,000 Population

Source: CDC, NCHS, Underlying Cause of Death 1999-2013 on CDC WONDER 

Online Database, released 2015
Alabama ALABAMA Profile 2015 Wisconsin Wisconsin Profile 2016

3

SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER 

TREATMENT AMONG OLDER WISCONSINITES

30-Day Binge Drinking Among Older Wisconsinites

Binge drinking, defined as five or more 

drinks for men and four or more drinks for 

women on a single occasion, can lead to 

serious health problems. Such problems 

include neurological damage, cardiovascular 

disease, liver disease, stroke, and poor 

control of diabetes. Binge drinkers are 

more likely to take risks such as driving 

while intoxicated and to experience falls 

and other accidents. Older people have a 

lower tolerance for alcohol. Binge drinking 

decreases with age and occurs more 

frequently among men than it does among 

women. As Exhibit 5 shows, 23.9 percent 

of Wisconsin men ages 50–64 reported 

binge drinking in the past 30 days, while 

7.5 percent of those in the 65+ group 

reported similar behavior. 

38.3%

23.9% 

7.5%

24.2%

11.0%

4.9%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

18 to 49 50 to 64 65+

Male Female

Exhibit 5. Binge Drinking Rates in Wisconsin by Age 

Group and Sex, 2013

Proportion of Population Engaging in Binge Drinking

Source: Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), 2013

Illicit Drug Use Among Older Americans

Nationally, the rate of illicit drug use 

among older adults ages 50–64 more 

than doubled from 2002 to 2013. 

This development partially reflects the 

entrance into this age group of the 

baby boom cohort, whose rates of 

illicit drug use have been higher than 

those of older cohorts. Although statespecific data are not available, the 

Wisconsin Behavioral Health Barometer

is available for download from the 

Substance Abuse and Mental Health 

Services Administration (SAMHSA) 

website (www.samhsa.gov/data 

/population-data-nsduh 

/reports?tab=33). 0%

1%

2%

3%

4%

5%

6%

7%

8%

9%

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

50 to 54 55 to 59 60 to 64

Exhibit 6. Illicit Drug Use Among Older Americans, 

2002–2013

Proportion Using in Past Month

Source: National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 2013

Illicit drug use includes illegal drugs and prescription drugs used nonmedically. SAMHSA 

provides a list of drugs included in its survey in the NSDUH methodological summary.
4

Wisconsin Wisconsin Profile 2016

Admissions to Substance Use Disorder Treatment Among Older Wisconsinites

In 2012, there were 5,732 admissions 

of Wisconsinites ages 50 and older 

to substance use disorder (SUD) 

treatment in state-funded treatment 

programs, a rate of 274.0 per 100,000 

people ages 50+. This rate was higher 

than the regional rate and the national 

average. Men made up 74.7 percent of 

these admissions. Of all admissions, 

73.7 percent were White/Caucasian, 

24.4 percent were Black/African 

American, and 3.1 percent were 

Hispanic.

The principal sources of referral to 

treatment among those ages 50 and 

older were: 

Self-Referral Criminal Justice Other

26.0% 54.5% 19.5%

430.2

285.9

383.2

132.1

111.0 120.3

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

500

Wisconsin Region 5 U.S.

Male Female

Exhibit 7. SUD Treatment Admissions of Adults Ages 50+ 

in Wisconsin, Region 5, and the United States by Sex, 2012

SUD Admission Rate per 100,000 Population

Source: Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS), 20121

1

 TEDS data are collected by states as a condition of the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant. Guidelines suggest that states report all clients 

admitted to publicly financed treatment; however, states are inconsistent in applying the guidelines. States may structure and implement different quality controls 

over the data. For example, states may collect different categories of information to answer TEDS questions. Information is then “walked over” to TEDS definitions.

Data include only those clients reported to SAMHSA.

SUD Treatment Admissions Among Individuals in Region 5 Ages 50+ by 

Insurance Type 

States may choose not to report some of 

the fields to TEDS, including information 

on treatment admission insurance 

types. These data were not reported by 

Wisconsin in 2012. Therefore, the rates 

for Region 5 are used instead.

In Region 5, 59.9 percent of older 

adult admissions to SUD treatment 

were uninsured, 25.9 percent had 

Medicaid, 10.2 percent had Medicare, 

and 3.9 percent had private insurance.

SUD Treatment Admissions Among 

Wisconsinites Ages 50+ by Primary 

Sources of Payment

Self-Pay Medicaid Other

Data not 

available

Data not 

available

Data not 

available

Exhibit 8 and the accompanying text reflect the type of 

health insurance (if any) clients had at admission; the table 

above represents primary sources of payment.

3.9%

25.9%

10.2%

59.9%

14.9%

20.4%

10.8%

53.9%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Private Medicaid Medicare None

Region 5 U.S.

Exhibit 8. SUD Treatment Admissions of Adults Ages 50+ 

in Region 5 and the United States by Insurance Type, 2012

Proportion of SUD Treatment Admissions of Adults Ages 50+ by Insurance Type

Source: TEDS, 2012

Data include only those clients reported to SAMHSA.
Alabama ALABAMA Profile 2015 Wisconsin Wisconsin Profile 2016

5

Alcohol Use Disorder Treatment Admissions Among Wisconsinites Ages 50+

Alcohol was the most frequently cited 

substance used by older Wisconsinites 

in publicly financed SUD treatment in 

2012. It was mentioned as a substance 

of use in 87.2 percent of admissions 

among those ages 50+. This was 

higher than the regional and national 

rates.

87.2%

62.1% 62.1%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

Wisconsin Region 5 U.S.

Exhibit 9. Alcohol Use Treatment Admissions of Adults 

Ages 50+ in Wisconsin, Region 5, and the United States, 

2012

Proportion of Treatment Admissions 50+ With Primary Alcohol Use Disorder

Source: TEDS, 2012

Data include only those clients reported to SAMHSA.

SUD Treatment Admissions for Non-Alcohol Substance Use

Substances other than alcohol were 

cited as the primary substances of 

use for 12.8 percent of older adult 

admissions to publicly funded 

treatment in Wisconsin.

12.8%

37.9% 37.9%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

Wisconsin Region 5 U.S.

Exhibit 10. Non-Alcohol Substance Use Treatment 

Admissions of Adults Ages 50+ in Wisconsin, Region 5, 

and the United States, 2012

Proportion of Treatment Admissions 50+ With Other Primary Substance Use Disorder

Source: TEDS, 2012

Data include only those clients reported to SAMHSA.
6

Wisconsin Wisconsin Profile 2016

Drug-Related Emergency Department Visits Involving Pharmaceutical Misuse 

and Abuse by Older Adults

SAMHSA periodically releases reports from the Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN). DAWN, discontinued 

in 2011, consisted of a nationwide network of hospital emergency departments (EDs) primarily located in 

large metropolitan areas. DAWN data consist of professional reviews of ED records to determine the extent 

to which alcohol and other substance abuse was involved in ED visits. According to the November 25, 2010, 

DAWN Report:

• In 2004, there were an estimated 115,803 ED visits involving pharmaceutical misuse and abuse by adults 

aged 50 or older; in 2008, there were 256,097 such visits, representing an increase of 121.1 percent 

• One fifth (19.7 percent) of ED visits involving pharmaceutical misuse and abuse among older adults were 

made by persons aged 70 or older 

• Among ED visits made by older adults, pain relievers were the type of pharmaceutical most commonly 

involved (43.5 percent), followed by drugs used to treat anxiety or insomnia (31.8 percent) and 

antidepressants (8.6 percent) 

• Among patients aged 50 or older who visited the ED for pharmaceutical misuse or abuse, more than half 

(52.3 percent) were treated and released, and more than one third (37.5 percent) were admitted to the 

hospital 

Bulleted text in italics above is taken from SAMHSA’s Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality. (2010, November 25). The DAWN Report: Drugrelated emergency department visits involving pharmaceutical misuse and abuse by older adults. Rockville, MD: SAMHSA.

CO-OCCURRING SUBSTANCE USE AND MENTAL DISORDERS

Older Wisconsinites in SUD Treatment With Co-Occurring Mental Disorders

The national literature shows a strong 

relationship between substance use 

and mental disorders. Studies show 

that 30–80 percent of individuals with 

a substance use or mental disorder 

also have a co-occurring disorder.

States may choose not to report 

some of the fields to TEDS, including 

information on SUD treatment 

admissions with a co-occurring 

disorder. These data were not 

reported by Wisconsin in 2012. 

Therefore, Exhibit 11 shows regional 

and national figures only. 

17.4%

33.7%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

Region 5 U.S.

Exhibit 11. SUD Treatment Admissions of Adults Ages 50+ 

With a Co-Occurring Mental Disorder in Region 5 and the 

United States, 2012

Proportion of Treatment Admissions 50+ With Co-Occurring Disorders

Source: TEDS, 2012

Data include only those clients reported to SAMHSA.
Alabama ALABAMA Profile 2015 Wisconsin Wisconsin Profile 2016

7

MENTAL HEALTH

Older Wisconsinites Reporting Frequent Mental Distress

BRFSS, a household survey conducted 

in all 50 states and several territories, 

asks the following question: “Now 

thinking about your mental health, 

which includes stress, depression, 

and problems with emotions, for how 

many days during the past 30 days 

was your mental health not good?” 

Those individuals reporting 14 or more 

“Yes” days in response to this question 

experience frequent mental distress 

(FMD). Exhibit 12 shows that older 

Wisconsinites experience FMD at a 

rate that is lower than the regional and 

national rates.

11.7% 11.4%

4.0%

12.6%

11.9%

6.3%

12.3%

13.0%

7.2%

0%

2%

4%

6%

8%

10%

12%

14%

18 to 49 50 to 64 65+

Wisconsin Region 5 U.S.

Exhibit 12. Individuals Reporting Frequent Mental Distress 

in Wisconsin, Region 5, and the United States, 2013

Proportion Reporting Frequent Mental Distress

Source: BRFSS, 2013

Older Wisconsinites Reporting Frequent Mental Distress by Age Group and Sex

Older men in Wisconsin were more likely 

to indulge in binge drinking, but older 

women were more likely to report that 

they had FMD (14 days or more per 

30-day period). As Exhibit 13 shows, 

14.6 percent of women in the 50–64 age 

group and 4.7 percent in the 65+ age 

group reported FMD, while 8.2 percent 

of men in the 50–64 age group and 

3.0 percent in the 65+ age group 

reported FMD.

8.3%

15.2%

8.2%

14.6%

3.0%

4.7%

0%

2%

4%

6%

8%

10%

12%

14%

16%

Male Female

18 to 49 50 to 64 65+

Exhibit 13. Wisconsinites Reporting Frequent Mental 

Distress by Age Group and Sex, 2013

Proportion Reporting Frequent Mental Distress

Source: BRFSS, 2013
8

Wisconsin Wisconsin Profile 2016

Other Measures of Mental Health

BRFSS collected other measures showing risk factors for mental and/or physical illness. These included:

• Social and Emotional Support (2010). BRFSS asked, “How often do you get the social and emotional 

support you need?” The possible responses were always, usually, sometimes, rarely, or never. 

• Life Satisfaction (2010). BRFSS asked, “In general, how satisfied are you with your life?” The possible 

responses were very satisfied, satisfied, dissatisfied, or very dissatisfied.

Exhibit 14 presents the results of these surveys among older Wisconsinites.

Exhibit 14. BRFSS Measures, 2010

Indicator Ages 50+ Ages 50–64 Ages 65+

Rarely or never get social 

or emotional support 6.9% 4.4% 10.7%

Dissatisfied or very 

dissatisfied 5.3% 6.6% 3.4%

Source: BRFSS, 2010

Individuals With Frequent Mental Distress Report High Rates of Poor Physical 

Health

Older Americans who experienced FMD 

were more likely to report that their 

physical health was poor (14 days or 

more in the past 30-day period when 

physical health was “not good”). As 

shown in Exhibit 15, although nearly 

11 percent of older Americans with no 

mental distress reported poor physical 

health, more than 50 percent of those 

with FMD reported poor physical health.

10.8%

18.1%

52.4%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

No mental distress Some mental distress Frequent mental distress

Exhibit 15. Individuals Ages 50+ in the United States 

Reporting Poor Physical Health by Level of Mental 

Distress, 2013

Proportion Reporting Poor Physical Health

Source: BRFSS, 2013
Alabama ALABAMA Profile 2015 Wisconsin Wisconsin Profile 2016

9

Relationship Among Mental Distress, Diabetes, Stroke, Heart Attack, 

High Blood Pressure, and Coronary Disease

Older Americans who experience FMD 

are more likely to report that they have 

health problems. People with FMD 

were more than twice as likely to report 

having a stroke than those with some 

or no mental distress. They experienced 

coronary disease and heart attack at 

more than 1.6 times, diabetes at more 

than 1.4 times, and high blood pressure 

at nearly 1.2 times the rate of those with 

some or no mental distress.

10.1%

13.3% 13.2%

25.9%

60.6%

4.7%

7.6% 7.8%

17.7%

51.1%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Stroke Coronary disease Heart attack Diabetes High blood pressure

Frequent mental distress Some or no mental distress

Exhibit 16. Individuals Ages 50+ in the United States 

With Mental Distress and Serious Health Problems, 2013

Proportion Reporting Health Problems by Mental Health Category

Source: BRFSS, 2013

Older Wisconsinites Admitted to State Mental Health Services

Approximately 7.2 percent of the people served by the Wisconsin mental health system were ages 65 and 

older. This represents more than 7,300 adults.

Source: Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) Uniform Reporting System (URS) Output Tables, 2014
10 Wisconsin Wisconsin Profile 2016

DATA SOURCES

BEHAVIORAL RISK FACTOR SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM (www.cdc.gov/brfss). BRFSS, managed by CDC, 

is the largest ongoing telephone health survey system in the world, tracking health conditions and risk 

behaviors in the United States annually since 1984. Data are collected on a monthly basis in all 50 states, 

the District of Columbia, and participating territories. BRFSS data are collected by local jurisdictions and 

reported to CDC.

CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION, NATIONAL CENTER FOR HEALTH 

STATISTICS, UNDERLYING CAUSE OF DEATH 1999-2013 ON CDC WONDER ONLINE DATABASE, 

RELEASED 2015 (http://wonder.cdc.gov/ucd-icd10.html). The WONDER online database “contains 

mortality and population counts for all U.S. counties. Data are based on death certificates for U.S. 

residents. Each death certificate identifies a single underlying cause of death and demographic data. 

The number of deaths, crude death rates or age-adjusted death rates, and 95% confidence intervals 

and standard errors for death rates can be obtained by place of residence (total U.S., region, state and 

county), age group (single-year-of age, 5-year age groups, 10-year age groups and infant age groups), 

race, Hispanic ethnicity, gender, year, cause-of-death (4-digit ICD-10 code or group of codes), injury 

intent and injury mechanism, drug/alcohol induced causes and urbanization categories. Data are also 

available for place of death, month and week day of death, and whether an autopsy was performed.”

CENTER FOR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES UNIFORM REPORTING SYSTEM (www.samhsa.gov/data

/us_map). States that receive CMHS Block Grants are required to report aggregate data to URS. URS 

reports include information about utilization of mental health services and client demographic and 

outcome information.

NATIONAL SURVEY ON DRUG USE AND HEALTH (https://nsduhweb.rti.org). The NSDUH, managed 

by SAMHSA, is “an annual nationwide survey involving interviews with approximately 70,000 randomly 

selected individuals aged 12 and older.” NSDUH data are most frequently used by state planners 

to assess the need for SUD treatment. NSDUH data also include information about mental health 

conditions.

TREATMENT EPISODE DATA SET (www.samhsa.gov/data/client-level-data-teds/reports?tab=19). States 

that receive Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant funds submit individual client data 

to TEDS. TEDS includes both admission and discharge data sets, and some 1.5 million admissions are 

reported annually. TEDS includes information about utilization of SUD treatment services and client 

demographic and outcome information. TEDS is an admission-based system, and TEDS admissions do 

not represent individuals. Thus, an individual admitted to treatment twice within a calendar year would 

be counted as two admissions.

U.S. CENSUS BUREAU (www.census.gov/people). Two main sources of Census Bureau data were used 

in this report: (1) population estimates and (2) population projections.