Stigmatizing attitudes toward mental illness among racial/ethnic older adults in primary care.
OBJECTIVE
The current study applies the perceived stigma framework to identify differences in attitudes toward mental health and mental health treatment among various racial/ethnic minority older adults with common mental health problems including depression, anxiety disorders, or at-risk alcohol use. Specifically, this study examines to what extent race/ethnicity is associated with differences in (1) perceived stigma of mental illness and (2) perceived stigma for different mental health treatment options.


METHODS
Analyses were conducted using baseline data collected from participants who completed the SAMHSA Mental Health and Alcohol Abuse Stigma Assessment, developed for the PRISM-E (Primary Care Research in Substance Abuse and Mental Health for the Elderly) study, a multisite randomized trial for older adults (65+ years) with depression, anxiety, or at-risk alcohol consumption. The final sample consisted of 1247 non-Latino Whites, 536 African-Americans, 112 Asian-Americans, and 303 Latinos.


RESULTS
African-Americans and Latinos expressed greater comfort in speaking to primary care physicians or mental health professionals concerning mental illness compared with non-Latino Whites. Asian-Americans and Latinos expressed greater shame and embarrassment about having a mental illness than non-Latino Whites. Asian-Americans expressed greater difficulty in seeking or engaging in mental health treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
Racial/ethnic differences exist among older adults with mental illness with respect to stigmatizing attitudes toward mental illness and mental health treatment. Results of this study could help researchers and clinicians educate racial/ethnic minority older adults about mental illness and engage them in much needed mental health services.
Dartmouth Centers for Health and Aging, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH, USA; Center for Multicultural Mental Health Research, Cambridge Health Alliance, Somerville, MA, USA.
Daniel E
DE
Jimenez
Stephen J
SJ
Bartels
Veronica
V
Cardenas
Margarita
M
Alegría
D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001213:Asian / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000628:therapy; D013240:Stereotyping; D014481:United States; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology*
older adults; race/ethnicity; stigma