African Americans are approximately half as likely as their White counterparts to utilize professional mental health services. High levels of religiosity among African Americans may lend to a greater reliance on religious counseling and coping when facing a mental health problem. This study investigates the relationship between three dimensions of religiosity and professional mental health service utilization among a large (n=3,570), nationally representative sample of African American adults. African American adults who reported high levels of organizational and subjective religiosity were less likely than those with lower levels of religiosity to utilize professional mental health services. This inverse relationship was generally consistent across individuals with and without a diagnosable DSM-IV anxiety, mood, or substance use disorder. No association was found between non-organizational religiosity and professional mental health service use. Seeking professional mental health care may clash with sociocultural religious norms and values among African Americans. Strategic efforts should be made to engage African American clergy and religious communities in the conceptualization and delivery of mental health services.

African Americans are approximately half as likely as their White counterparts to utilize professional mental health services. High levels of religiosity among African Americans may lend to a greater reliance on religious counseling and coping when facing a mental health problem. This study investigates the relationship between three dimensions of religiosity and professional mental health service utilization among a large (n=3,570), nationally representative sample of African American adults. African American adults who reported high levels of organizational and subjective religiosity were less likely than those with lower levels of religiosity to utilize professional mental health services. This inverse relationship was generally consistent across individuals with and without a diagnosable DSM-IV anxiety, mood, or substance use disorder. No association was found between non-organizational religiosity and professional mental health service use. Seeking professional mental health care may clash with sociocultural religious norms and values among African Americans. Strategic efforts should be made to engage African American clergy and religious communities in the conceptualization and delivery of mental health services. Keywords African Americans; health disparities; religiosity; mental health services African Americans are approximately half as likely as their White counterparts to utilize professional mental health services, even after adjusting for socioeconomic and clinical factors (