Hospital Stays Related to Mental Health, 2006

October, 2008 Mental illness touches most Americans during their lifetimes, either directly or indirectly. Approximately 5.8 percent of American adults suffer from serious mental illness each year, translating to more than one in twenty individuals over the age of 18 with a serious mental disorder. In 2006, there were approximately 1.4 million hospitalizations specifically for mental health conditions. In total, 1 out of every 5 hospital stays included some mention of a mental health condition as either a principal or secondary diagnosis. Mental health was listed as the main reason for hospitalization (i.e., the principal diagnosis) for . . .