Self-rated mental health and racial/ethnic disparities in mental health service use.
BACKGROUND
Studies of health service use for emotional problems show that the majority of those with disorders do not seek professional help. In addition, mental health service use is lower among members of minority communities, compared with non-Hispanic whites.


OBJECTIVE
To examine the role of self-reported mental health as an indicator of awareness of mental conditions and as an influence in the process of seeking mental health care.


METHODS
We conducted cross-sectional analyses of nationally representative data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) for 2000-2004.


METHODS
In-person interviews obtained data on self-rated mental health (SRMH), ambulatory mental health visits, and purchase of prescription medications to treat mental conditions. Respondents completed the SF-12 health status survey; analyses included the SF-12 mental component summary (MCS) as a measure of emotional symptoms. Analyses included only those who provided self-reports of MCS and SRMH.


RESULTS
SRMH was related to any ambulatory visit and any medication purchase for mental health treatment, controlling for MCS, and other sociodemographic and clinical variables. The association between SRMH and service use was weaker for black and Hispanic respondents than for whites. In addition, the magnitude of the association between SRMH and MCS was weaker for black and Hispanic respondents than for whites.


CONCLUSIONS
Racial/ethnic differences in service use may arise in part from different propensities to interpret emotional symptoms as reflecting one's mental health and then to seek professional intervention for emotional problems. SRMH may be useful as an indicator of the extent to which people acknowledge the existence of emotional problems.
Zuvekas
Samuel H
SH
Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, Maryland 20850, USA.
Fleishman
John A
JA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001294:Attitude to Health; D044383:Black People / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005102:Health Expenditures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006302:Health Services Research; D006304:Health Status; D054625:Healthcare Disparities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D014600:Utilization Review / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001741:Black or African American
D011619:Psychotropic Drugs