Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress 2023 EHA Congress 2023 ASCO Annual Meeting
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

At a glance: The ONWARDS insulin icodec trials

A round-up of the ONWARDS phase 3 clinical trials evaluating the novel weekly insulin icodec in people with diabetes.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
Community Mental Health Journal
Published in: Community Mental Health Journal 5/2009

01-10-2009 | Original Paper

Examining Latino Differences in Mental Healthcare Use: The Roles of Acculturation and Attitudes Towards Healthcare

Authors: Terceira A. Berdahl, Rosalie A. Torres Stone

Published in: Community Mental Health Journal | Issue 5/2009

Login to get access

Abstract

Latinos are less likely to use mental health services compared to non-Latino whites, but little research has examined the relative contribution of acculturation and attitudes towards healthcare. In the current study, we analyze data from a nationally representative sample of Mexicans, Cubans, Puerto Ricans and non-Latino whites from the 2002–2003 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (n = 30,234). Findings show different utilization patterns in use of specialty, non-specialty, and any type of mental healthcare across the three Latino subgroups. The predictive efficacy of acculturation variables on ethnic group differences varies by subgroup. Self-reliant attitudes towards healthcare are associated with lower use, but these attitudes do not explain the ethnic gaps in use.
Literature
Alegría, M., Mulvaney-Day, N., Woo, M., Torres, M., et al. (2007). Correlates of past-year mental health service use among Latinos: Results from the national Latino and Asian American study. American Journal of Public Health, 97, 76.PubMedCrossRef
Babbie, E. (2007). The practice of social research (9th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
Berdahl, T. A., Kirby, J., & Torres Stone, R. (2007). Access to health care for Nonmetro and Metro Latinos of Mexican origin in the United States. Medical Care, 45, 647.PubMedCrossRef
Carrasquillo, O., Orav, E. J., Brennan, T. A., & Burstin, H. R. (1999). Impact of language barriers on patient satisfaction in an emergency department. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 14, 82–87.PubMedCrossRef
Chapman, P. L., & Mullis, R. L. (2000). Racial differences in adolescent coping and self-esteem. The Journal of Genetic Psychology, 161, 152.PubMedCrossRef
Fiscella, K., Franks, P., Doescher, M., & Saver, B. G. (2002). Disparities in health care by race, ethnicity, and language among the insured: Findings from a national sample. Medical Care, 45, 602.
Folsom, D. P., Gilmer, T., Barrio, C., Moore, D. J., Bucardo J., Lindamer L. A., et al. (2007). A longitudinal study of the use of mental health services by persons with serious mental illness. The American Journal of Psychiatry, 164, 1173–1180.PubMedCrossRef
Fuller, J., Edwards, J., Procter, N., & Moss, J. (2000). How definition of mental health problems can influence help seeking in rural and remote communities. The Australian Journal of Rural Health, 8.3, 148.CrossRef
Gordon, M. M. (1964). Assimilation in American life. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Harris, K. M., Edlund, M. J., & Larson, S. (2005). Racial and ethnic differences in the mental health problems and use of mental health care. Medical Care, 43, 775.PubMedCrossRef
Medicine, I. O. (2002). Unequal treatment: Confronting racial and ethnic disparities in health care. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.
Miranda, J., Chung, J. Y., Green, B. L., Krupnick, J., Siddique, J., Revicki, D. A., et al. (2003). Treating depression in predominantly low-income young minority women: A randomized control trial. JAMA, 290(1), 57–65.PubMedCrossRef
Morgan, R. D., Steffan, J., Shaw, L. B., & Wilson, S. (2007). Needs for and barriers to correctional mental health services: Inmate perceptions. Psychiatric Services, 58, 1181.PubMedCrossRef
Ojeda, V. D., & McGuire, T. G. (2006). Gender and racial/ethnic differences in outpatient mental health and substance use services by depressed adults. Psychiatric Quarterly, 77, 211.PubMedCrossRef
Ortega, A. N., & Alegria, M. (2002). Self-reliance, mental health need, and the use of mental healthcare among Island Puerto Ricans. Mental Health Services Research, 4, 131.PubMedCrossRef
Perez-Stable, E. J., Napoles-Springer, A., & Miramontes, J. M. (1997). The effects of ethnicity and language on medical outcomes of patients with hypertension or diabetes. Medical Care, 35, 1212–1219.PubMedCrossRef
Portes, A., Kyle, D., & Eaton, W. W. (1992). Mental illness and help-seeking behavior among Mariel Cuban and Haitian Refugees in South Florida. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 33, 283.PubMedCrossRef
Rutledge, M. S., & McLaughlin, C. G. (2008). Hispanics and health insurance: The rising disparity. Medical Care, 46, 1086.PubMedCrossRef
Sentell, T., Shumway, M., & Snowden, L. (2007). Access to mental health treatment by English language proficiency and race/ethnicity. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 22, 289.PubMedCrossRef
Torres Stone, R. A., Rivera, F., & Berdahl, T. A. (2004). Predictors of depression among Non-Hispanic Whites, Mexicans and Puerto Ricans: A look at race/ethnicity as a reflection of social relations. Race & Society, 7, 79–94.CrossRef
US Department of Health and Human Services (1999). Mental Health: A report of the surgeon general. In Department of Health and Human Services, SAMHSA (ed), Center for Mental Health Services, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Mental Health: Rockville, MD.
US Department of Health and Human Services (2000). Healthy people 2010. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.
US Department of Health and Human Services (2001). Mental health: Culture, race, and ethnicity: A supplement to mental health: A report of the surgeon general. In Services, UDHH (ed.). Rockville, MD.
Vega, W. A., Kolody, B., & Aguilar-Gaxiola, S. (2001). Help seeking for mental health problems among Mexican Americans. Journal of Immigrant Health, 3, 133.PubMedCrossRef
Victoria, D. O., & Thomas, G. M. (2006). Gender and racial/ethnic differences in use of outpatient mental health and substance use services by depressed adults. Psychiatric Quarterly, 77, 211.CrossRef
Wells, K. B., Hough, R. L., Golding, J. M., Burnam, A., & Karno, M. (1987). Which Mexican-Americans underutilize health services? The American Journal of Psychiatry, 144, 918.PubMed
Willging, C. E., Salvador, M., & Kano, M. (2006). Pragmatic help seeking: How sexual and gender minority groups access mental health care in a rural state. Psychiatric Services, 57, 871.PubMedCrossRef
Wilson, K. L., & Portes, A. (1980). Immigrant enclaves: An analysis of the labor market experiences of Cubans in Miami. Am J of Sociology, 86, 295.CrossRef
Zuvekas, S., & Fleishman, J. A. (2008). Self-rated mental health and racial/ethnic disparities in mental health service use. Medical Care, 46(9), 915–923.PubMedCrossRef
Metadata
Title
Examining Latino Differences in Mental Healthcare Use: The Roles of Acculturation and Attitudes Towards Healthcare
Authors
Terceira A. Berdahl
Rosalie A. Torres Stone
Publication date
01-10-2009
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
Community Mental Health Journal / Issue 5/2009
Print ISSN: 0010-3853
Electronic ISSN: 1573-2789
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-009-9231-6

Other articles of this Issue 5/2009

Community Mental Health Journal 5/2009 Go to the issue

Original Paper

Changes in Treatment Content of Services During Trauma-informed Integrated Services for Women with Co-occurring Disorders

Original Paper

Antidepressant Adequacy and Work Status Among Medicaid Enrollees with Disabilities: A Restriction-based, Propensity Score-adjusted Analysis

Original Paper

Beliefs about Causes of Schizophrenia among Police Officers Before and After Crisis Intervention Team Training

Original Paper

Oil and Water or Oil and Vinegar? Evidence-Based Medicine Meets Recovery

Original Paper

What Lessons do Coming Out as Gay Men or Lesbians have for People Stigmatized by Mental Illness?

Brief Report

From Prototype to Product: Development of a Primary Care/Internet Based Depression Prevention Intervention for Adolescents (CATCH-IT)