Perceived need for care among low-income immigrant and U.S.-born black and Latina women with depression.
OBJECTIVE
To examine perceived need for care for mental health problems as a possible contributor to ethnic disparities in receiving care among low-income depressed women.


METHODS
The role of ethnicity, somatization, and stigma as they relate to perceived need for care is examined. Participants were 1577 low-income women who met criteria for depression.


RESULTS
Compared with U.S.-born depressed white women, most depressed ethnic minority women were less likely to perceive a need for mental health care (black immigrants: OR 0.30, p < 0.001; U.S.-born blacks: OR 0.43, p < 0.001; immigrant Latinas: OR 0.52, p < 0.01). Stigma-related concerns decreased the likelihood of perceiving a need for mental health care (OR 0.80, p < 0.05). Having multiple somatic symptoms (OR 1.57, p < 0.001) increased the likelihood of endorsing perceived need.


CONCLUSIONS
Findings suggest that there are ethnic differences in perceived need for mental healthcare that may partially account for the low rates of care for depression among low-income and minority women. The relations among stigma, somatization, and perceived need were strikingly similar across ethnic groups.
Nadeem
Erum
E
Department of Health Services, School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA. nadeeme@pi.cpmc.columbia.edu
Lange
Jane M
JM
Miranda
Jeanne
J
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003863:Depression / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior / Q000208:ethnology; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D011203:Poverty / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology