Spatial patterns of mental health treatment in Oklahoma

Abstract

Mental Illness has significant economic and social ramifications for communities and encompasses a wide range of disorders demanding different levels of treatment. Oklahoma consistently ranks among the states with the most prevailing mental health issues in America. Understanding the place characteristics associated with the spatial patterns of higher mental health service utilization is crucially needed to highlight areas where mental health treatment may need to be strengthened in the future. These studies analyze demographic, social, and economic patterns in local populations seeking treatment in Oklahoma through services provided by the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse from 2011-2014. Spatial statistical techniques are employed to investigate the spatial relationships between mental health treatment for Oklahoma patients and the characteristics of the zip codes they reside.