In a nationwide survey of 1,486 adults with congenital heart disease (CHD), 33% reported current or past psychological/psychiatric care. People with more complex heart defects were most likely to receive help, and the heart condition itself was a leading reason for seeking it—underscoring the need to link cardiology and mental-health services.
A new online study of adults registered in Germany’s National Register for Congenital Heart Defects reports that 32.8%have received psychological, psychotherapeutic, or psychiatric treatment at some point. Participants were 18–85 years old (average ~37) and 61% female; the survey ran in Q1 2024.
Who sought care most? Utilization rose with medical complexity: 40.2% of those with complex CHD had used mental health care versus 29.6% with moderate and 25.3% with simple defects (see the pie charts in Figure 1, page 6). Women were more likely than men to have received care (37.5% vs. 25.3%). In adjusted analyses, people with simple or moderate CHD had lower odds of treatment than those with complex CHD, while women had nearly 2× the odds of men of receiving care.
Why are people seeking help? The most common stated reasons were a mental health condition (41.7%) and CHD‑related concerns (37.2%), followed by home/family (32.6%) and education/work issues (25.3%) (bar chart in Figure 2, page 6). Nearly half started treatment on their own, while about one‑third were referred by a physician; 79%were treated by a psychologist/psychotherapist. About 5% were on a waiting list for psychotherapy at the time of the survey.
How people feel about their illness matters. Those in treatment reported feeling more “engulfed” or rejected by their illness and less accepting—a pattern researchers call a more maladaptive illness identity (Table 2, page 7). That suggests screening how patients relate to their condition could help flag who needs early support.
What this means for care: The authors call for integrated “psychocardiology” services, routine screening for distress during CHD follow‑up, and low‑barrier access to mental health care for all severity levels—not only the most complex cases. For clinicians, proactively asking about mood, anxiety, and day‑to‑day stressors could be a practical first step. (See Discussion and “Clinical Implications,” pages 8–11.)
Source: Ehmann A‑L, Schütte E, Semmler J, et al. “Mental Health Treatment in Adults with Congenital Heart Disease in Germany: An Online, Cross‑Sectional Study of Status, Needs, and Treatment Reasons,” Journal of Cardiovascular Development and Disease, June 2025.