Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Email this article to a Colleague Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to My Articles & Searches Download to citation manager Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Articles by Alegría, M. Articles by Meng, X.-L. Search for Related Content PubMed Citation Articles by Alegría, M. Articles by Meng, X.-L. Minority Issues Access to Services Depression Quality of Care, Practice Guidelines Related Articles

Disparity in Depression Treatment Among Racial and Ethnic Minority Populations in the United States

Dr. Alegría and Dr. Chen are affiliated with the Center for Multicultural Mental Health Research, Cambridge Health Alliance and Harvard Medical School, 120 Beacon St., 4th Floor, Somerville, MA 02143 (e-mail: malegria{at}charesearch.org). Dr. Chatterji is with the Department of Economics, State University of New York at Albany. Dr. Wells is with the Health Services Research Center, University of California, Los Angeles. Dr. Cao is with Thomson Healthcare, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Dr. Takeuchi is with the School of Social Work, University of Washington, Seattle. Dr. Jackson is with the Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Dr. Meng is with the Department of Statistics, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

OBJECTIVE: Prior research on racial and ethnic disparities in depression treatment has been limited by the scarcity of national samples that include an array of diagnostic and quality indicators and substantial numbers of non-English-speaking individuals from minority groups. Using nationally representative data for 8,762 persons, the authors evaluated differences in access to and quality of depression treatments between patients in racial-ethnic minority groups and non-Latino white patients. METHODS: Access to mental health care was assessed by past-year receipt of any mental health treatment. Adequate treatment for acute depression was defined as four or more specialty or general health provider visits in the past year plus antidepressant use for 30 days or more or eight or more specialty mental health provider visits lasting at least 30 minutes, with no antidepressant use. RESULTS: For persons with past-year depressive disorder, 63.7% of Latinos, 68.7% of Asians, and 58.8% of African Americans, compared with 40.2% of non-Latino whites, did not access any past-year mental health treatment (significantly different at p<.001). Disparities in the likelihood of both having access to and receiving adequate care for depression were significantly different for Asians and African Americans in contrast to non-Latino whites. CONCLUSIONS: Simply relying on present health care systems without consideration of the unique barriers to quality care that ethnic and racial minority populations face is unlikely to affect the pattern of disparities observed. Populations reluctant to visit a clinic for depression care may have correctly anticipated the limited quality of usual care.

Related Articles:

The Persistence of Disparities in Mental Health Care

Pedro Ruiz
Psychiatr Serv 2008 59: 1239. [Full Text] [PDF]

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. Connolly Race and prescribing The Psychiatrist, May 1, 2010; 34(5): 169 - 171. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Chen and J. Rizzo Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Use of Psychotherapy: Evidence From U.S. National Survey Data Psychiatr Serv, April 1, 2010; 61(4): 364 - 372. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Interian, A. Ang, M. A. Gara, B. G. Link, M. A. Rodriguez, and W. A. Vega Stigma and Depression Treatment Utilization Among Latinos: Utility of Four Stigma Measures Psychiatr Serv, April 1, 2010; 61(4): 373 - 379. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. Carpenter-Song, E. Chu, R. E. Drake, M. Ritsema, B. Smith, and H. Alverson Ethno-Cultural Variations in the Experience and Meaning of Mental Illness and Treatment: Implications for Access and Utilization Transcultural Psychiatry, April 1, 2010; 47(2): 224 - 251. [Abstract] [PDF]

				J. M. Gonzalez, C. L. Bowden, N. Berman, E. Frank, M. S. Bauer, J. N. Kogan, M. Alegria, and D. J. Miklowitz One-Year Treatment Outcomes of African-American and Hispanic Patients With Bipolar I or II Disorder in STEP-BD Psychiatr Serv, February 1, 2010; 61(2): 164 - 172. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. M. Gonzalez, W. A. Vega, D. R. Williams, W. Tarraf, B. T. West, and H. W. Neighbors Depression Care in the United States: Too Little for Too Few Arch Gen Psychiatry, January 1, 2010; 67(1): 37 - 46. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. Ell, B. Xie, and P.-J. Lee In Reply J. Clin. Oncol., April 1, 2009; 27(10): 1730 - 1731. [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. Lee Disparities in Depression Care: Implications for Population-Based Surveys Psychiatr Serv, February 1, 2009; 60(2): 268 - 268. [Full Text] [PDF]

Get information about faster international access.

Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2008 American Psychiatric Association. All rights reserved.

Home | Search | Current Issue | Past Issues | Subscribe | All APPI Journals | Help | Contact Us