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Unmet Needs for Mental Health Services for Latino Older Adults: Perspectives from Consumers, Family Members, Advocates, and Service Providers

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Abstract

This study qualitatively assessed the need for mental health services among Latino older adults in San Diego, California. The primary mental health issue was depression. Primary organizational barriers to accessing services were language and cultural barriers secondary to a lack of translators, dearth of information on available services, and scarcity of providers representative of the Latino community. Other challenges included a lack of transportation and housing, and the need for socialization and social support. Latino older adults experienced their unmet needs in ways associated with their cultural background and minority status. Age- and culturally-appropriate services are needed to overcome these barriers.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported, in part, by a grant from the National Institute of Mental Health 1 P30 MH66248, and by the Department of Veterans Affairs. The authors wish to acknowledge the following individuals who also participated in data collection: Ashwin Budden, M.A., David Folsom, M.D. Elizabeth Green, Ph.D., Dena Plemmons, Ph.D., and Sally Shepherd, R.N. Margarita Villagrana, M.S.W., Alma Bonilla, B.A., and Erika Hernandez, B.A. also participated in data analysis. Declaration of Interests: No author received any financial compensation for the completion of this manuscript. Likewise, no author is financially involved with any organization that may benefit financially by this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Social Work, University of Southern California, 655 West 34th Street, Los Angeles, CA, 90089-0411, USA

    Concepción Barrio, Lawrence A. Palinkas & Ann-Marie Yamada

  2. Community Mental Health Research Liaison, University of California, San Diego, USA

    Dahlia Fuentes

  3. Adult and Older Adult Mental Health Services, County of San Diego, San Diego, USA

    Dahlia Fuentes, Viviana Criado & Piedad Garcia

  4. Department of Psychiatry & Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, USA

    Dilip V. Jeste

  5. VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, USA

    Dilip V. Jeste

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  1. Concepción Barrio
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  2. Lawrence A. Palinkas
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  3. Ann-Marie Yamada
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  4. Dahlia Fuentes
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  5. Viviana Criado
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  6. Piedad Garcia
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  7. Dilip V. Jeste
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Correspondence to Concepción Barrio.

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Barrio, C., Palinkas, L.A., Yamada, AM. et al. Unmet Needs for Mental Health Services for Latino Older Adults: Perspectives from Consumers, Family Members, Advocates, and Service Providers. Community Ment Health J 44, 57–74 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-007-9112-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-007-9112-9

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