Explaining mental health treatment disparities: ethnic and cultural differences in family involvement.
In a large, representative sample of persons receiving public mental health treatment, we examined whether ethnic minority consumers were more likely than white consumers to live with their families and to receive family support. We then evaluated whether differences observed in family involvement explained treatment disparities observed in outpatient and inpatient mental health services. Results indicated that Asian American and Latino consumers, especially, were considerably more likely than white consumers to live with family members and to receive family support. Ethnocultural differences in living with family did explain treatment intensity disparities whether or not consumers described themselves as dependent on family support. The results support the hypothesis that cultural differences in family involvement and support play a role in explaining mental health treatment disparities.
Snowden
Lonnie R
LR
Center for Mental Health Services Research, School of Social Welfare, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA. snowden@berkeley.edu
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D001213:Asian / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005192:Family Health; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D054625:Healthcare Disparities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008913:Minority Groups / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012944:Social Support; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data