Tag Archives: invisible illness

#AdiosStigma Invisible Illness Twitter Party by Adios Barbie

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On Monday, September 28, GimpGirl representative Katherine Mancuso participated in Adios, Barbie‘s #AdiosStigma Twitter Party, to discuss the issues surrounding invisible illness and celebrate Invisible Illness Awareness Week. The discussion included several panel members with both professional and personal experience, and covered a wide range of topics including confronting ableism and related caregiver issues.

In an effort to continue the discussion on invisible illness, we are sharing information compiled by the awesome folks at Adios, Barbie. To access the infographic image, click or select the thumbnail image associated with each infographic text.

Get to Know Invisible Illnesses, demographical statistics on invisible illness done by Adios Barbie for #AdiosStigmaInfographic: “Get to Know Invisible Illnesses”

  • More than 125 million Americans are living with at least one chronic condition
  • Over 95% of people living with an illness have an invisible illness
  • 60% of those with invisible illnesses are between the ages of 18 and 64
  • 4 out of 5 health care dollars in the US are spent on chronic or invisible conditions
  • For 34% of people, the person closest to them with an invisible illness is a parent
  • Rates of depression are 15-20% higher for people with invisible illnesses

By: @AdiosBarbie for #AdiosStigma

Sources: Molly’s Fund, Invisible Illness Awareness Week, and Seattle Dizzy Group.

Mental Illness Is the Most Common Invisible Illness On College Campuses, statistics done by Adios Barbie for #AdiosStigmaInfographic: “Mental Illness is the most common invisible illness on College Campuses.”

  • Stigma is the number one barrier that stop students from seeking mental health services.
  • 73% of students experience a mental health crisis while in college.
  • Only 13% of students would rate their college’s response to mental health as “excellent”.

By: Adios Barbie for #AdiosStigma

Source: College Students Speak: A Survey Report on Mental Health, NAMI 2012 [PDF]

Mental Illness On Campus, statistics on mental illness in college done by Adios Barbie for #AdiosStigmaInfographic: “Mental Illness On Campus”

  • One in 10 students contemplates suicide
  • 64% of students who drop out of school do so because of mental illness
  • Nearly 75% of students experience a mental health crisis in college

By: Adios Barbie for #AdiosStigma

Source: Nine out of Ten, National Alliance on Mental Illness

The Costs of Caregiving, a table of statistical information on caregiving done by Adios Barbie for #AdiosStigmaInfographic: “The Costs of Caregiving”

  • 65% of caregivers have not had a vacation in the past year. 51% of caregivers report no time to take care of themselves and almost half (49%) said they were too tired to do so.
  • The out-of-pocket costs for caregivers who are caring for someone who was age 50 or older was $5,531 in 2007.
  • 40% to 70% of caregivers have clinically significant signs of depression. Elderly spousal caregivers (age 66-96) have a 63% higher mortality rate than noncaregivers of the same age.

Who is a Caregiver?

  • 66% of caregivers are female
  • Average age is 48
  • 1/3 care for more than one person
  • 46% of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender elders caregive

By: Adios Barbie for #AdiosStigma

Source: National Alliance for Caregiving, American Association of Retired Persons, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Policy Institute, Caregiver.org

 

What is your experience with invisible illness? Do you these statistics reflected in your experience?