Treatment for psychiatric conditions also varies by race-ethnicity. Individuals with any psychiatric condition and from racial-ethnic minority groups are less likely than non-Hispanic whites to receive a medication for their condition (5, 11 – 13).
Full Answer
Do minorities have less access to mental health services?
Fifteen years ago this summer, the U.S. Surgeon General published Mental Health: Culture, Race, and Ethnicity. The report revealed "striking disparities for minorities in mental health services." Racial and ethnic minorities have less access to mental health services than do whites. They are less likely to receive care when they need it.
Can we eliminate racial and ethnic disparities in health?
August 12, 2015 — Eliminating racial and ethnic disparities in health in the U.S. isn’t just the job of the health care sector—it’s the job of society as a whole, argues David R. Williams, Florence Sprague Norman and Laura Smart Norman Professor of Public Health.
How many African Americans use mental health services?
The more recent NCS also examined how many persons used mental health services. Results indicated that only 16 percent of African Americans with a diagnosable mood disorder saw a mental health specialist, and fewer than one-third consulted a health care provider of any kind.
Are African Americans treated differently than other minorities?
In a study of treatment as usually provided in the Los Angeles County mental health system, African Americans improved less than whites and members of other racial and ethnic minority groups (Sue et al., 1991).
How does race and ethnicity affect health care in the US?
NAM found that “racial and ethnic minorities receive lower-quality health care than white people—even when insurance status, income, age, and severity of conditions are comparable.” By “lower-quality health care,” NAM meant the concrete, inferior care that physicians give their black patients.
Which ethnicity is the most likely to seek mental health treatment?
Estimates of prescription psychiatric medication use in the past year were highest for white adults (14.4 percent), adults reporting two or more races (14.1 percent), and American Indian or Alaska Native adults (13.6 percent), followed by black (6.5 percent), Hispanic (5.7 percent), and Asian (3.1 percent) adults.
Does ethnicity affect mental health?
Most racial/ethnic minority groups overall have similar—or in some cases, fewer—mental disorders than whites. However, the consequences of mental illness in minorities may be long lasting. Ethnic/racial minorities often bear a disproportionately high burden of disability resulting from mental disorders.
Do racial and ethnic disparities in mental health treatment vary with underlying mental health?
We find that in contrast to physical health treatment, Black-White and Hispanic-White disparities in any mental health treatment use widen with higher levels of psychological distress.
How are minorities affected by mental health?
Racial/ethnic, gender, and sexual minorities often suffer from poor mental health outcomes due to multiple factors including inaccessibility of high quality mental health care services, cultural stigma surrounding mental health care, discrimination, and overall lack of awareness about mental health.
How does culture influence mental health?
Culture significantly impacts various aspects of mental health including the perception of health and illness, treatment-seeking behaviour and coping styles. As such, simplified mainstreaming of mental health approaches may not cater to the needs of a culturally diverse population from different communities.
What does research show regarding race and ethnic differences and those who receive mental health services?
What does research show regarding race and ethnic differences in those who receive mental health services? Ethnic minorities tend to utilize mental health services less frequently than White, middle-class Americans.
What demographic is most affected by mental illness?
Prevalence of Any Mental Illness (AMI) This number represented 21.0% of all U.S. adults. The prevalence of AMI was higher among females (25.8%) than males (15.8%). Young adults aged 18-25 years had the highest prevalence of AMI (30.6%) compared to adults aged 26-49 years (25.3%) and aged 50 and older (14.5%).
How can racial disparities be reduced in mental health care?
Clearly, routine screening for depression in healthcare settings, as well as educating providers about ethnic minority patients, and educating patients about mental illness and interventions, could help to reduce disparities.
Which of the following factors is an example of a barrier to treatment for racial and ethnic minority groups?
Barriers to Care for Racial and Ethnic Minority Groups According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the following barriers prevent racial and ethnic minorities from receiving appropriate care: Lack of availability. Transportation, child care, difficulty taking time off work.
Which group is least likely to seek mental health services because of the stigma associated with it?
Mental health stigmas exist worldwide and can impact anyone of any race or ethnicity, creating barriers to access available mental health treatment. According to Mental Health America (MHA), Asian Americans are the least likely racial group in the United States to seek mental health services.
What percentage of mental health professionals are white?
Mental Health Professional Statistics By Race The most common ethnicity among Mental Health Professionals is White, which makes up 80.9% of all Mental Health Professionals. Comparatively, there are 9.1% of the Hispanic or Latino ethnicity and 6.7% of the Black or African American ethnicity.