In 2023, adults younger than 65 with employer-sponsored insurance who received inpatient mental health treatment were most often treated for depressive disorders, while nearly three-fourths of substance use treatment stays were for alcohol-related disorders, according to a KFF analysis.
The analysis reviewed 2023 Merative MarketScan Commercial Databases and included adults ages 18 to 65 who were enrolled in commercial insurance for at least six months. Only diagnostic categories accounting for at least 1% of inpatient treatment episodes were included.
Here are four things to know:
- Depressive disorders accounted for nearly half of mental health stays. Depressive disorders accounted for 45% of inpatient mental health treatment stays in 2023. Bipolar and related disorders accounted for 24% of stays, followed by schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders at 17%, trauma- and stressor-related disorders at 5%, anxiety and fear-related disorders at 2%, feeding and eating disorders at 2%, and personality disorders at 1%.
- Alcohol-related disorders dominated substance use treatment. Alcohol-related disorders accounted for 74% of inpatient substance use treatment stays. Opioid-related disorders represented 14% of stays, while stimulant-related disorders accounted for 6%. Sedative-related disorders accounted for 3% and cannabis-related disorders for 2%.
- Mental health findings mirrored national trends. National Survey on Drug Use and Health data showed depression was the most common mental illness among U.S. adults in 2024, affecting 8.2% of adults, followed by anxiety at 7.8%.
- Alcohol use disorder was also the most common nationally. Among adults ages 26 and older, about 1 in 10 had alcohol use disorder, compared with 6% for cannabis use disorder and 2% for opioid use disorder.
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