Predictors of Mental Health Treatment Seeking and Engagement in a Community Mental Health Center.
Disparities in behavioral health treatment outcomes are multifactorial, but treatment engagement and dropout from treatment often contribute to unequal mental health outcomes in individuals with serious mental illnesses. Alcohol and other substance use disorders have been associated with poor treatment adherence and premature discontinuation of treatment, but few studies have examined these factors in a predominantly African American sample of individuals with serious mental illnesses. This study examined predictors of mental health treatment engagement and dropout in a sample of 90 African American individuals presenting for treatment at a community mental health treatment facility in Atlanta, Georgia. Having an alcohol use disorder was associated with being less likely to attend mental health follow up (OR 0.32, 95% CI 0.12-0.88). Among African American individuals with alcohol use disorders, specific, targeted interventions may be necessary to help reach individuals that are at extremely high risk of poor health and poor adherence to treatment.
University of California, Davis Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, 2230 Stockton Blvd., 2nd Floor, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA. rshim@ucdavis.edu.
Ruth S
RS
Shim
Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons, New York, NY, USA.
Michael T
MT
Compton
Department of Community Health and Preventive Medicine, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.
Shun
S
Zhang
Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, USA.
Kristin
K
Roberts
Florida State University College of Medicine, Tallahassee, FL, USA.
George
G
Rust
Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
Benjamin G
BG
Druss
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000368:Aged; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D003155:Community Mental Health Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005845:Georgia; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010358:Patient Participation / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D055815:Young Adult
Adherence; Mental health treatment seeking; Substance use disorders; Treatment dropout; Treatment engagement