title: Race and beliefs about mental health treatment among anxious primary care patients.
abstract: Large racial disparities in the use of mental health care persist. Differences in treatment preferences could partially explain the differences in care between minority and nonminority populations. We compared beliefs about mental illness and treatment preferences between adult African-Americans, Hispanics, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and White Americans with diagnosed anxiety disorders. Measures of beliefs about mental illness and treatment were drawn from the National Comorbidity Survey Replication and from our previous work. There were no significant differences in beliefs between the African-Americans and the White Americans. The beliefs of the Hispanics and the Native Americans were most distinctive, but the differences were small in magnitude. Across race/ethnicity, the associations between beliefs and service use were generally weak and statistically insignificant. The differences in illness beliefs and treatment preferences do not fully explain the large, persistent racial disparities in mental health care. Other crucial barriers to quality care exist in our health care system and our society as a whole.
authors: University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Psychiatric Research Institute, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA. huntjustinb@uams.edu
authors: Justin
authors: J
authors: Hunt
authors: Greer
authors: G
authors: Sullivan
authors: Denise A
authors: DA
authors: Chavira
authors: Murray B
authors: MB
authors: Stein
authors: Michelle G
authors: MG
authors: Craske
authors: Daniela
authors: D
authors: Golinelli
authors: Peter P
authors: PP
authors: Roy-Byrne
authors: Cathy D
authors: CD
authors: Sherbourne
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000208:ethnology; D000368:Aged; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000208:ethnology*; D001213:Asian / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice / Q000208:ethnology*; D006306:Health Surveys; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000208:ethnology; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American / Q000208:ethnology; D008297:Male; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D044469:Racial Groups / Q000208:ethnology*; D014481:United States / Q000208:ethnology; D044465:White People / Q000208:ethnology; D055815:Young Adult