Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Receiving Mental Health Support Among Adolescents in the US
Speaker(s)
Zhou B
Walt Whitman High School, Bethesda, MD, USA
Presentation Documents
OBJECTIVES: This study aims to examine racial and ethnic disparities in receiving mental health support among adolescents in the U.S.
METHODS: The study used the 2022 National Health Interview Survey’s Sample Child Interview and focused on adolescents (aged 12 to 17). The outcome measures included (1) whether the adolescent had a meaningful and beneficial connection with someone else in their community, (2) received mental therapy from a professional, (3) took prescription medication for mental health, and (4) received both therapy and medicine for mental health. The independent variables included race and ethnicity (non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black, non-Hispanic Asian, Hispanic, and other), sex, age, born in the U.S., self-reported general health, family income, parent education, and urban/rural residence. Logistic regressions were applied.
RESULTS: The final sample included 2,629 adolescents. Approximately 91% of adolescents had received support from others in the community, 19% received mental health therapy, 14% took medication for their mental health, and 1.4% received both therapy and medicine. The results of the logistic regression showed that compared to white adolescents, Asians (coef: -1.51, 95%CI: [-2.05, -0.98], p<0.001) and Hispanics (coef: -1.46, 95%CI: [-1.85, -1.08], p<0.001) were significantly less likely to receive community support. Additionally, black (coef: -0.72, 95%CI: [-1.22, -0.22], p<0.05), Asian (coef: -2.06, 95%CI: [-3.23, -0.89], p<0.05), and Hispanic (coef: -0.95, 95%CI: [-1.35, -0.56], p<0.001) adolescents were significantly less likely to receive both therapy and medicine, or either therapy/medicine, respectively. Adolescents born in the U.S., compared to foreign-born counterparts, were significantly more likely to have community support (coef: 0.85, 95%CI: [0.43, 1.28], p<0.001), and receive both mental health therapy and mental health medication (coef: 0.95, 95%CI: [0.03, 1.89], p<0.05).
CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that there is an urgent need to promote mental health support and access and reduce stigma for racial and ethnic minority adolescents and immigrants.
Code
HSD85
Topic
Epidemiology & Public Health, Health Policy & Regulatory
Topic Subcategory
Health Disparities & Equity, Public Health
Disease
Mental Health (including addition)