Referral sources, diagnoses, and service types of youth in public outpatient mental health care: a focus on ethnic minorities.
Racial/ethnic variations in clinical and service delivery characteristics among youth in public outpatient mental health services were examined using data from San Diego County mental health service programs for fiscal year 1996 to 1997 (N = 3,962). Differences in referral sources, primary diagnoses, and service types were investigated for three racial/ethnic groups (African Americans, Asian/Pacific Islander Americans, and Latinos) compared to non-Hispanic whites. Controlling for age, gender, functional impairment, and prior service use, significant differences by race/ethnicity were found for all three variables studied. Possible explanations for these variations and future directions for research are discussed.
Yeh
May
M
University of California and Child and Adolescent Services Research Center, Children's Hospital and Health Center San Diego, San Diego, CA 92123, USA. myeh@casrc.org
McCabe
Kristen
K
Hurlburt
Michael
M
Hough
Richard
R
Hazen
Andrea
A
Culver
Shirley
S
Garland
Ann
A
Landsverk
John
J
D000293:Adolescent; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000367:Age Factors; D001213:Asian / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006078:Government Programs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000628:therapy; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010139:Pacific Islands / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data