1. Socioeconomic status, ethnicity, psychological distress, and readiness to utilize a mental health facility.
- Author
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Briones DF, Heller PL, Chalfant HP, Roberts AE, Aguirre-Hauchbaum SF, and Farr WF Jr
- Subjects
- Acculturation, Age Factors, Female, Health Behavior, Humans, Life Change Events, Male, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Regression Analysis, Sex Factors, Social Class, Social Support, Depression psychology, Hispanic or Latino psychology, Mental Health Services statistics & numerical data, Models, Theoretical, Patient Acceptance of Health Care
- Abstract
The effects of minority status versus ethnic culture on Mexican-Americans' underutilization of mental health services were reassessed through development and testing of an analytic path model that proposes a sequence of factors, including Mexican-American ethnicity, socioeconomic status, degree of social and institutional support, and depression, which culminate in a person's decision to utilize mental health facilities. The model also predicts that life stress will affect utilization through its influence on depression. Data from 783 subjects generally supported the model's predictions. A multifactorial approach to the causes of mental health problems and utilization behavior in the Mexican-American population is suggested.
- Published
- 1990
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