Factors Influencing The Use Of Mental Health Resources Among Hispanic/Latinx Adults In The United States

Mental illness is pervasive for all people in the U.S., but treatment seeking behaviors and resources are especially lacking for some. The Hispanic/Latinx community experiences more treatment disparity compared to other groups. There are significant barriers that they face, such as stigma and lack of resources. This study aimed to answer the questions of which barriers are more pertinent and which variables about a person can predict ratings of barriers. We hypothesized that there would be higher rated barriers and that certain demographic variables such as age, gender and beliefs would relate to certain barriers. In the current study, a survey (in either English or Spanish) was provided asking various questions about barriers and people’s views on therapy, as well as demographic questions. It was concluded that finance/cost, trust in clinicians and availability of providers were rated the highest. Additionally, six predictor variables did significantly predict ratings of barriers, such as negative community views leading to higher ratings of finance/cost. Future implications for how this study can enact change are discussed.