Use of Mental Health-Related Services Among Immigrant and US-Born Asian Americans: Results From the National Latino and Asian American Study

• Published in: American journal of public health (1971) 2007-01, Vol.97 (1), p.91-98
• Main Authors: Abe-Kim, Jennifer, Takeuchi, David T, Hong, Seunghye, Zane, Nolan, Sue, Stanley, Spencer, Michael S, Appel, Hoa, Nicdao, Ethel, Alegria, Margarita
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Age Factors; Aged; Asian Americans; Asian Americans - psychology; Asian Americans - statistics & numerical data; Biological and medical sciences; China - epidemiology; College students; Disentangling Mental Health Disparities; Emigration and Immigration; Epidemiology; Female; Health services; Health Services Needs and Demand; Humans; Immigrants; Immigration; Insurance coverage; Language proficiency; Linguistics; Male; Medical sciences; Mental disorders; Mental Disorders - ethnology; Mental Disorders - therapy; Mental health care; Mental Health Services - utilization; Metropolitan statistical areas; Middle Aged; Minority & ethnic groups; Miscellaneous; Noncitizens; Patient Acceptance of Health Care - ethnology; Patient Acceptance of Health Care - statistics & numerical data; Philippines - ethnology; Polls & surveys; Population; Public health; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Ratings & rankings; Residence Characteristics; United States - epidemiology; Vietnam - ethnology
• ISSN: 0090-0036; 1541-0048
• DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2006.098541

We examined rates of mental health-related service use (i.e., any, general medical, and specialty mental health services) as well as subjective satisfaction with and perceived helpfulness of care in a national sample of Asian Americans, with a particular focus on immigration-related factors. Data were derived from the National Latino and Asian American Study (2002-2003). About 8.6% of the total sample (n=2095) sought any mental health-related services; 34.1% of individuals who had a probable diagnosis sought any services. Rates of mental health-related service use, subjective satisfaction, and perceived helpfulness varied by birthplace and by generation. US-born Asian Americans demonstrated higher rates of service use than did their immigrant counterparts. Third-generation or later individuals who had a probable diagnosis had high (62.6%) rates of service use in the previous 12 months. Asian Americans demonstrated lower rates of any type of mental health-related service use than did the general population, although there are important exceptions to this pattern according to nativity status and generation status. Our results underscore the importance of immigration-related factors in understanding service use among Asian Americans.