Mental health knowledge limitations may contribute to the treatment gap among Black adults. We conducted an online cross-sectional study of Black adults in the United States (n = 262, aged 18-65 years) from diverse ethnic backgrounds (African-Americans, African immigrants, Afro-Caribbean immigrants). Gamma regression using generalized linear models was used to estimate the associations between mental health knowledge and willingness to seek help from mental health professionals. After adjusting for age, education and ethnicity, participants with higher specific knowledge about mental health (such as recognition of schizophrenia as a mental illness) were 26% more likely to report willingness to seek help from a mental health professional for personal and emotional problems (RR = 1.26, CI: 1.12 – 1.41, p < 0.001). Knowledge building interventions (such as psychoeducation) that seek to increase specific knowledge (rather than general knowledge) may correlate more strongly with utilization of mental health services among Black adults.
PurposeThis study assessed the perspectives of pregnant and post-partum African immigrant women on mental illness.MethodsWe conducted a focus group session (N=14) among pregnant and postpartum African immigrant women in June 2020. We used an inductive driven thematic analysis to identify themes related to mental health stigma.ResultsFive core themes emerged: conceptualization of mental health, community stigmatizing attitudes, biopsychosocial stressors, management of mental health and methods to reduce stigma.ConclusionUnderstanding the perspectives of pregnant African immigrant women at the intersection of their race, ethnicity, gender and migration is necessary to improve engagement with mental health services.
ObjectivesMental illness stigma is a barrier to engagement in mental health services. This study assesses our hypothesis that specific racial identity dimensions influences mental health behavior including stigma.MethodsWe performed an online cross sectional observational study among Black adults (n = 248, ages 18-65). We examined the relationship between an individual’s approach to their racial identity in the community and stigma behavior towards mental health; generalized linear models were performed. We assessed demographic characteristics as moderators of the primary association.ResultsBlack adults with higher centrality reported lower past stigma behavior (RR=1.57, CI: 1.11–2.21, p=0.01), but higher future intended stigma behavior (RR=0.93, CI: 0.88–0.99, p=0.02). Majority of respondents reported high centrality and high assimilation; however, assimilation did not appear to correlate with mental health stigma behavior. Age, education and ethnicity appeared to have a limited moderating effect on the association between centrality and stigma behavior.ConclusionsCentrality was associated with mental health stigma behavior. By understanding the intersecting characteristics that may increase the likelihood for mental illness stigma, we will be better able to reduce mental illness stigma and optimize engagement in mental health services.
BackgroundBlack adults are often treated as a homogeneous group in research and health care despite the diversity within the Black population across ethnicity. This study considers ethnicity in assessing the heterogeneity among Black adults across multiple social determinants of mental health. Understanding the diversity within the Black population will help close the gap in mental health disparities by offering a more streamlined approach to meeting unmet mental health needs.MethodsA cross-sectional descriptive study and analysis was conducted among Black adults in the United States (n = 269, ages 18-65) from diverse ethnic backgrounds (African-Americans, African immigrants, Afro-Caribbean immigrants). We calculated mean differences according to ethnicity, citizenship status, age group, and gender in the areas of medical mistrust, use of mental health services, depression symptom severity, mental health knowledge and stigma behavior.ResultsAfrican Americans with moderate to severe depression symptoms had greater stigma behavior (mean = 12.2, SD = 3.2), than African Americans who screened in the minimal to mild depression range (mean = 13.1, SD = 3.5). Black immigrants across the spectrum of depression scores had greater stigma than African Americans (p = 0.037). Participants who identified as male had a prevalence of mild depression (5-9) that was 1.7 times higher than those who identified as female. Whereas, those who identified as female had a prevalence that was 1.2 times higher for moderate to severe depression (10-19) and 4.7 times higher for severe depression (20-27) compared to males (p = 0.021). Non-United States citizens reported higher medical mistrust (mean value difference = 0.16) compared to United States citizens (p = 0.011). We found statistically significant differences in depression symptom severity based on gender, prevalence of depression, medical mistrust and stigma behavior across demographic factors within the sample.ConclusionThis study shows key variations across social determinant of mental health factors within the Black adult population. There is a need to better understand the heterogeneity within the Black population in order to improve the effectiveness of programs that seek to reduce mental health disparities.
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