Inner-city child mental health service use: The real question is why youth and families do not use services

This study examines pathways to urban child mental health care as well as explores reasons why care was not received. A single group longitudinal design was used to study initial attendance rates at an outpatient child mental health clinic and identify factors associated with initial service use for...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Community mental health journal 2004-04, Vol.40 (2), p.119-131
Main Authors: HARRISON, Myla E, MCKAY, Mary M, BANNON, William M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
African Americans
Attendance
Biological and medical sciences
Caregivers
Child
Child & adolescent mental health
Child discipline
Child Health Services - utilization
Children
Children & youth
Community Mental Health Services - utilization
Demography
Families & family life
Family
Female
Health services
Health services utilization
Humans
Informed consent
Inner city
Interviews
Low income groups
Male
Medical sciences
Mental health
Mental health care
Mental health services
Minority & ethnic groups
Organization of mental health. Health systems
Parents & parenting
Patient Acceptance of Health Care
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychopathology
Psychopathology. Psychiatry
Religious figures
Social psychiatry. Ethnopsychiatry
Social research
Social services
Stress
Surveys and Questionnaires
United States
Urban areas
Urban Population - statistics & numerical data
USA
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Description
Summary:This study examines pathways to urban child mental health care as well as explores reasons why care was not received. A single group longitudinal design was used to study initial attendance rates at an outpatient child mental health clinic and identify factors associated with initial service use for urban children and their families. Approximately one-third of families (n = 82) do not follow up with care despite their child being referred and an initial appointment scheduled. Yet, three-quarters of those who did not attend a first session still wanted services when interviewed. Factors most significantly related to service use were social support and parental skill efficacy. Miscommunication between adult caregiver and provider was the most often cited reason for non-attendance. There is a significant unmet need for care along with identification of significant barriers to access. Empirical findings can serve as the basis for modifying urban child mental health service delivery systems.
ISSN:0010-3853
1573-2789
DOI:10.1023/B:COMH.0000022732.80714.8b