Abstract
The purpose of this study is to better understand the mental health/illness information and service delivery preferences among African American residents of Baltimore. We conducted four focus groups (n = 42) among African American adults currently unconnected with the mental health system. Participants expressed fear of stigma and perceptions of racism as major barriers to seeking information and/or services and discussed some normalizing strategies to address these barriers. African Americans harbor cultural and traditional beliefs regarding mental illness which could also act as barriers. Findings have implications for imparting acceptable and culturally sensitive mental health education and service delivery programs in community settings.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alvidrez, J. (1999). Ethnic variations in mental health attitudes and service use among low-income African American, Latina, and European American young women. Community Mental Health Journal, 35(6), 515–530. doi:10.1023/A:1018759201290.
Anglin, D. M., Link, B. G., & Phelan, J. C. (2006). Racial differences in stigmatizing attitudes toward people with mental illness. Psychiatric Services (Washington, DC), 57(6), 857–862. doi:10.1176/appi.ps.57.6.857.
Borowsky, S. J., Rubenstein, L. V., Meredith, L. S., Camp, P., Jackson-Triche, M., & Wells, K. B. (2000). Who is at risk of nondetection of mental health problems in primary care? Journal of General Internal Medicine, 15(6), 381–388. doi:10.1046/j.1525-1497.2000.12088.x.
Cooper-Patrick, L., Powe, N. R., Jenckes, M. W., Gonzales, J. J., Levine, D. M., & Ford, D. E. (1997). Identification of patient attitudes and preferences regarding treatment of depression. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 12(7), 431–438. doi:10.1046/j.1525-1497.1997.00075.x.
Cooper-Patrick, L., Gallo, J. J., Powe, N. R., Steinwachs, D. M., Eaton, W. W., & Ford, D. E. (1999). Mental health service utilization by African Americans and Whites: The Baltimore epidemiologic catchment area follow-up. Medical Care, 37(10), 1034–1045. doi:10.1097/00005650-199910000-00007.
Corrigan, P. W. (2007). How clinical diagnosis might exacerbate the stigma of mental illness. Social Work, 52(1), 31–39.
Diala, C. C., Muntaner, C., Walrath, C., Nickerson, K., LaVeist, T., & Leaf, P. (2001). Racial/ethnic differences in attitudes toward seeking professional mental health services. American Journal of Public Health, 91(5), 805–807.
Fiscella, K., Franks, P., Doescher, M. P., & Saver, B. G. (2002). Disparities in health care by race, ethnicity, and language among the insured: findings from a national sample. Medical Care, 40(1), 52–59. doi:10.1097/00005650-200201000-00007.
Gary, F. A. (2005). Stigma: Barrier to mental health care among ethnic minorities. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 26(10), 979–999. doi:10.1080/01612840500280638.
Hines-Martin, V., Malone, M., Kim, S., & Brown-Piper, A. (2003). Barriers to mental health care access in an African American population. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 24(3), 237–256. doi:10.1080/01612840305281.
Katon, W., von Korff, M., Lin, E., Bush, T., & Ormel, J. (1992). Adequacy and duration of antidepressant treatment in primary care. Medical Care, 30(1), 67–76. doi:10.1097/00005650-199201000-00007.
Krueger, R. A. (1994). Focus groups: A practical guide for applied research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Krueger, R. A. (1998). Analyzing and reporting focus group results. Focus Group Kit 6. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Link, B. G., & Phelan, J. C. (2006). Stigma and its public health implications. Lancet, 367(9509), 528–529. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(06)68184-1.
Miranda, J., & Cooper, L. A. (2004). Disparities in care for depression among primary care patients. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 19(2), 120–126. doi:10.1111/j.1525-1497.2004.30272.x.
Noble, L. M., & Douglas, B. C. (2004). What users and relatives want from mental health services. Current Opinion in Psychiatry, 17, 289–296. doi:10.1097/01.yco.0000133832.42167.76.
Rabiee, F. (2004). Focus-group interview and data analysis. The Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 63(4), 655–660. doi:10.1079/PNS2004399.
Schnittker, J., Freese, J., & Powell, B. (2000). Nature, nurture, neither, nor: Black–White differences in beliefs about the causes and appropriate treatment of mental illness. Social Forces, 78, 1101–1132. doi:10.2307/3005943.
Sussman, L. K., Robins, L. N., & Earls, F. (1987). Treatment-seeking for depression by black and white Americans. Social Science & Medicine, 24(3), 187–196. doi:10.1016/0277-9536(87)90046-3.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2001). Mental health: Culture, race, and ethnicity—a supplement to mental health: A report of the Surgeon General. Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Mental Health Services.
Acknowledgments
This research was supported in part by a grant from the NIH National Center for Minority Health and Health Disparities (P60MD000532). The contents of this article are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the funding agency.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Mishra, S.I., Lucksted, A., Gioia, D. et al. Needs and Preferences for Receiving Mental Health Information in an African American Focus Group Sample. Community Ment Health J 45, 117–126 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-008-9157-4
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-008-9157-4