Factors associated with mental health service use in Latino and Asian immigrant elders.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to examine factors associated with the mental health service use of Latino and Asian immigrant elders. Adapting Andersen's behavioral health model of health service utilization, predisposing, enabling, and mental health need factors were considered as potential predictors for use of mental health services.


METHODS
Data were drawn from a nationally representative dataset, the National Latino and Asian American Survey (NLAAS). Hierarchical logistic regression analyses of mental health service use were conducted for Latino (N = 290) and Asian (N = 211) immigrant elders.


RESULTS
For both groups of immigrant elders, poor self-rated mental health was associated with significantly greater mental health service use, even after controlling for all other variables. For Latinos, use of mental health services was significantly associated with both predisposing factors (being younger and female) and mental health need factors (having any mood disorders and poor self-rated mental health). Among Asians, only mental health need factors (having any mood disorders and poor self-rated mental health) significantly affected mental health service use. In addition, poor self-rated mental health mediated the association between mood disorders and mental health service use only in Latino immigrant elders.


CONCLUSIONS
Results highlight an important role of self-rated mental health as a potential barrier in the use of mental health services, and suggest intervention strategies to enhance service use.
Kim
Giyeon
G
Center for Mental Health and Aging, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, 35487, USA. Giyeon.Kim@ua.edu <Giyeon.Kim@ua.edu>
Jang
Yuri
Y
Chiriboga
David A
DA
Ma
Grace X
GX
Schonfeld
Lawrence
L
D000368:Aged; D001213:Asian; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000208:ethnology*; D014481:United States