Racial/Ethnic Disparities in the Use of Mental Health Services in Poverty Areas

• DOI: 10.2105/ajph.93.5.792
• Publication Date: 2008-12-02T00:04:35Z
• Authors: Julian Chun-Chung...; Kim Jaffee; Lonnie Snowden
• Keywords: Adult; Male; Mental Health Services; Adolescent; Asian; Geography; Mental Disorders; New York; 1. No poverty; Hispanic or Latino; Middle Aged; Patient Acceptance of Health Care; Health Services Accessibility; 3. Good health; Black or African American; 03 medical and health sciences; Logistic Models; 0302 clinical medicine; Residence Characteristics; Poverty Areas; Humans; Female; Child; 10. No inequality; Minority Groups

Objectives. This study examined racial/ethnic disparities in mental health service access and use at different poverty levels. Methods. We compared demographic and clinical characteristics and service use patterns of Whites, Blacks, Hispanics, and Asians living in low-poverty and high-poverty areas. Logistic regression models were used to assess service use patterns of minority racial/ethnic groups compared with Whites in different poverty areas. Results. Residence in a poverty neighborhood moderates the relationship between race/ethnicity and mental health service access and use. Disparities in using emergency and inpatient services and having coercive referrals were more evident in low-poverty than in high-poverty areas. Conclusions. Neighborhood poverty is a key to understanding racial/ethnic disparities in the use of mental health services.