Abstract
Latinos are less likely to use mental health services compared to non-Latino whites, but little research has examined the relative contribution of acculturation and attitudes towards healthcare. In the current study, we analyze data from a nationally representative sample of Mexicans, Cubans, Puerto Ricans and non-Latino whites from the 2002–2003 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (n = 30,234). Findings show different utilization patterns in use of specialty, non-specialty, and any type of mental healthcare across the three Latino subgroups. The predictive efficacy of acculturation variables on ethnic group differences varies by subgroup. Self-reliant attitudes towards healthcare are associated with lower use, but these attitudes do not explain the ethnic gaps in use.
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Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank John Fleishman, Sam Zuvekas, and anonymous peer reviewers for helpful and insightful comments on the paper. This study was supported by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. The views expressed in this article are those of the authors, and no official endorsement by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality or the US Department of Health and Human Services is intended or should be inferred.
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Berdahl, T.A., Torres Stone, R.A. Examining Latino Differences in Mental Healthcare Use: The Roles of Acculturation and Attitudes Towards Healthcare. Community Ment Health J 45, 393–403 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-009-9231-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-009-9231-6