Quitting Mental Health Services among Racial and Ethnic Groups of Americans with Depression

J Behav Health Serv Res. 2018 Apr;45(2):269-279. doi: 10.1007/s11414-017-9560-0.

Abstract

Research on racial/ethnic differences in quitting mental health services has yet to examine the multiple forms of services offered and reasons why racial/ethnic groups quit. Data from the Collaborative Psychiatric Epidemiology Surveys (CPES) examined whether race/ethnicity was related to quitting nine types of mental health services within a multivariate framework, and whether any racial/ethnic differences emerged among 16 assessed reasons for quitting mental health services (N = 437). Odds of quitting mental health services provided by social workers, non-medical health professionals, counselors, psychiatrists, and psychologists varied significantly by race/ethnicity. The most common reasons for quitting services included individuals wanting to handle the problem on their own, getting better, or not needing help anymore. The increased likelihood of quitting services represents an underexplored area for mental health service disparities and calls for improved efforts to retain racial and ethnic minorities in the mental health system.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Black or African American / psychology*
  • Black or African American / statistics & numerical data*
  • Depressive Disorder, Major / psychology*
  • Depressive Disorder, Major / therapy
  • Ethnicity / psychology
  • Ethnicity / statistics & numerical data
  • Female
  • Health Surveys
  • Hispanic or Latino / psychology*
  • Hispanic or Latino / statistics & numerical data*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mental Health Services / statistics & numerical data
  • Middle Aged
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • Patient Dropouts / psychology*
  • Patient Dropouts / statistics & numerical data
  • Racial Groups
  • United States
  • White People / psychology*
  • White People / statistics & numerical data*
  • Young Adult