What disparities in mental health care access and use exist among African American and Hispanic populations compared to non-Hispanic whites, as described in the chapter?

Key points

• African Americans are 15% less likely than non-Hispanic whites to receive mental health care.
• Hispanics are half as likely as non-Hispanic whites to receive mental health care.
• Both African Americans and Hispanics are more than 20% more likely than non-Hispanic whites to report psychological distress.
• African American and Hispanic populations have the highest numbers of people lacking insurance coverage.
• Explanations for these disparities include stigma, differences in symptom expression, provider bias, mistreatment experiences, and barriers to accessing treatment.