Disparities in Mental Health Care for Racial and Ethnic Groups With Depression

The disparity in access to and quality of mental health care for different racial and ethnic groups experiencing depression in the US is a notable one, according to a study published in Psychiatric Services. A study was conducted in response to the Public Health Service's Healthy People 2010 initiative for minority populations.

The study utilized data from the National Institute of Mental Health Collaborative Psychiatric Epidemiology Surveys (CPES), which included a diverse range of respondents, including non-English-speaking minority groups. Study findings indicate that all minority groups with 12-month depressive disorders were less likely to receive mental health care, even after adjusting for other factors. Racial and ethnic minority individuals without depression were also less likely to receive treatment.

The researchers classified respondents into different groups based on their depression status, including currently depressed, subthreshold symptoms, lifetime depression, those with other past-year psychiatric disorders, and those without any psychiatric or substance use disorders. They examined access to mental health treatment and the quality of depression care received by these groups.

Among individuals with depression, racial and ethnic minority groups were less likely to access mental health treatment compared to non-Latino whites. Moreover, even among those who did receive treatment, minority groups were less likely to receive adequate care.

The reasons for these disparities include underdetection of depression, stigma surrounding mental illness, mistrust of healthcare professionals, and limited recognition of depression within minority families. Additionally, the study found that, regardless of race or ethnicity, most individuals who accessed depression treatment received inadequate care, with African Americans being doubtful of receiving adequate care.

The study's findings underscore the need for targeted efforts to address these disparities and ensure that individuals from all backgrounds receive appropriate mental health care in the US. These may include quality improvement programs, increased mental health services resources, healthcare professionals training, and community engagement strategies.

"Our findings shift the debate to developing policy, practice, and community solutions to address the barriers that generate these disparities. Simply relying on current systems, without considering the unique barriers to high-quality care that apply for underserved ethnic and racial minority populations, is unlikely to affect the pattern of disparities we observed," said researchers.

Reference

Alegría M, Chatterji P, Wells K, et al. Disparity in Depression Treatment Among Racial and Ethnic Minority Populations in the United States. Psychiatric Services. 2008;59(11):1264-1272. doi:https://doi.org/10.1176/ps.2008.59.11.1264