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Mental Health Literacy, Stigma, and Behavioral Health Service Use: the Case of Latinx and Non-Latinx Whites

Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities volume 6, pages 1122–1130 (2019)Cite this article

Abstract

Objectives

Two research questions guided this study. What is the difference, if any, between Latinx and non-Latinx Whites (NLWs) in mental health literacy about depression, depression-related stigma, and lifetime history of behavioral health service use? and Does mental health literacy and depression-related stigma mediate the relationship between ethnicity and lifetime history of behavioral health service use?

Method/Design

Data for this cross-sectional study was collected from a primary care clinic. Participants (N = 271) completed measures on mental health literacy and stigma.

Results

Results from a multivariate analysis of covariance revealed that Latinxs had lower levels of mental health literacy, higher levels of stigma, and lower lifetime prevalence rates of behavioral health service use. Results from a path analysis indicated that personal stigma partially mediated the relationship between ethnicity and lifetime history of behavioral health service use.

Conclusion

Interventions targeting stigma may reduce disparities in behavioral health service utilization.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Nevada, Reno, NV, USA

    Lorraine T. Benuto, Frances Gonzalez, Francisco Reinosa-Segovia & Melanie Duckworth

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  1. Lorraine T. Benuto
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  2. Frances Gonzalez
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Correspondence to Lorraine T. Benuto.

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Benuto, L.T., Gonzalez, F., Reinosa-Segovia, F. et al. Mental Health Literacy, Stigma, and Behavioral Health Service Use: the Case of Latinx and Non-Latinx Whites. J. Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities 6, 1122–1130 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40615-019-00614-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40615-019-00614-8

Keywords

  • Stigma
  • Mental health literacy
  • Latinxs
  • Latinos
  • Behavioral health service use