2006 State Report > Our Health > Mental Health
Our Health: Mental Health
While most older adults are able to cope with the cognitive changes and emotional challenges of aging, about twenty percent of the population 55 and older experience mental disorders that are not associated with "normal" aging. These conditions can include depression, Alzheimer's disease, alcohol and drug abuse, anxiety, and schizophrenia. Older adults may have difficulties in affording treatment for such late-life mental disorders, and they can also pose challenges for family members who may be acting as caregivers.
In the 2004 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, respondents in South Carolina were asked on how many of the last thirty days they would describe their mental health as "not good." Mental health was defined as including stress, depression, and problems with emotions. Of the respondents aged 65 and over:
- 79.3 percent said they did not experience any days when their mental health was not good.
- 4.6 percent said their mental health was not good for one or two days.
- 6.2 percent said their mental health was not good for 3-7 days.
- 6.0 percent said their mental health was not good for 8-29 days.
- 4.0 percent said their mental health was not good for all 30 days.
Source: South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, 2004 BRFSS.