title: Professional Service Use for a Serious Personal Problem: Comparing Older African Americans, Black Caribbeans, and Non-Hispanic Whites Using the National Survey of American Life.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Examines combinations of professionals visited for a serious personal problem.
  
  
  METHODS
  The sample includes those aged 55 and above (N = 862) from the National Survey of American Life (NSAL). Latent class analysis was used to identify groups of respondents based on types of professionals visited. Multinomial logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with group membership.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Classes included health provider plus clergy, physician plus mental health provider, and limited provider use. Whites were more likely than African Americans to fall into the health provider plus clergy and physician plus mental health provider classes. Those with physical and emotional problems were more likely to be in the health provider plus clergy and physician plus mental health provider classes, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most respondents were in the limited provider use class suggesting that for many problems, minimal professional help is utilized. Physicians and clergy were important across all three classes.
authors.affiliation: Michigan State University, East Lansing, USA awoodwar@msu.edu.
authors.forename: Amanda Toler
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Woodward
authors.affiliation: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA.
authors.forename: Linda M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Chatters
authors.affiliation: Washington University in St. Louis, MO, USA.
authors.forename: Harry Owen
authors.initials: HO
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.affiliation: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA.
authors.forename: Robert Joseph
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Taylor
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000368:Aged; D044383:Black People / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017691:Caribbean Region / Q000208:ethnology; D002977:Clergy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010820:Physicians / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
keywords: help-seeking; latent class analysis; race/ethnicity; stressful life events