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Title: Deaths of Despair: Prescriptive Authority of Psychologists

Citation Type: Miscellaneous

Publication Year: 2020

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Abstract: Limited access to mental health care has many adverse effects, especially for marginalized communities. Between 2002 and 2017, five states (NM, LA, IL, IA, and ID) passed legislation allowing psychologists to prescribe psychotropic medication when deemed necessary for patient care, popularly referred to as the RxP movement. We find that psychologists, when given prescriptive authority, have higher rates of annual income but do not work an increased number of hours. Using Vital Mortality Statistics, a restricted data set provided through the National Center for Health Statistics, we determine the effect of state-level expansions of prescriptive authority of psychologists on suicide rates. We find that, after allowing ample time for education, training, and experience requirements, that the rate of suicide reduced for both men and women, white and black, individuals who are divorced or single, and for people between the ages of 35 and 55.

Url: http://www.aliciaplemmons.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/SOP_Psychologists_FinalDraft_8.29.20.pdf

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Authors: Choudhury, Agnitra Roy; Plemmons, Alicia

Publisher: Auburn University at Montgomery

Data Collections: IPUMS USA

Topics: Fertility and Mortality, Health

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