COVID-19 has also exacerbated disparities in mental health care access and utilization among Latinx communities, a disparity well-documented in the US even before the onset of the pandemic (12–16). They offer the ability to search for Hispanic/Latino therapists, listen to podcasts from Latino mental health experts, find support groups and access wellness apps or informational resources in English or Spanish. Training mental health clinicians in cultural competency is important in the fight toward equity and social justice.” “There are not enough bilingual and bicultural mental health clinicians to meet Latinx community needs.” The authors would like to thank Laura Mutis, the Founder and Executive Director of ESOL Achievers Inc., for her unequivocal support and collaboration with the preparation of this article and Dr Jeanne-Marie Stacciarini for her guidance on mental health equity and social justice efforts for underserved communities.
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To improve mental health care seeking and connection in the Latinx community, there is a need for culturally tailored interventions to address mental health stigma within the community, to support mental health care navigation, and to increase overall access to care. Longer interventions, like a community anti-stigma campaign that last several weeks or months and increase contact with people living and coping with mental illness, may be needed to create lasting changes in reducing this critical barrier to mental health care in the Latino/a population. A better understanding of these cultural norms and their relation specifically to mental health care seeking will be critical to designing successful stigma-reduction interventions that move beyond basic accessibility factors, such as language. Efforts to address the mental health needs of undocumented immigrants have focused on addressing their limited access to mental health care and developing community-based programs to reduce stress and increase access to services (92). These factors should be considered when designing programs and interventions to improve mental health care access and services in the Latinx community. In addition, as the field continues to move from understanding racial and ethnic mental health care disparities to reducing them, interventions that focus on improving mental health literacy and reducing stigma that are also culturally-grounded, theoretically-sound, and empirically-supported, are needed to achieve mental health equity for all Latino/as.
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They achieve this by empowering students through mental health literacy and by endorsing student voices. Students can speak with in-person and teletherapists, find resources in libraries and counseling centers, and participate in support group discussions and health and wellness programs. “As a first-generation college graduate and Hispanic professional, I understand the importance of mental health among Hispanic/Latino and first-generation students in higher education. A national survey from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) shows instances of serious mental health disorders rising within the Hispanic age group.
- Ultimately, 50 of the respondents reporting poor mental health connected to mental health care (23.1%), compared to 68 of respondents reporting good mental health (8.6%).
- Many people talk the talk about representation, but Ben is on the front lines every day making sure the door is also open for other Latinx creators and talent to come through too.
- Fact sheets on mental health en Español from NAMI.
- Another promising strategy for undocumented Latinx living with HIV is to provide navigation and support for engaging in HIV care using community health workers or other clinic staff (119).
- The researchers will test whether the enhanced intervention—called eHealth Familias Unidas—is effective in preventing or reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety and suicide-related behavior among youth receiving care at one of 18 primary care clinics.
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The study design was a subset analysis within a larger multisite observational research study, focusing on treatment outcomes across different service delivery models. EMA data indicated significant variability in suicidal ideation and risk factors throughout the day, with many participants experiencing notable changes within short periods. The study sample consisted of 86 participants, including 58 hospital patients and 28 hospital employees, with Latinx individuals comprising approximately 5% of the sample. The eC-SSRS was designed to assess severe lifetime and recent ideation, suicide attempts, interrupted and aborted attempts, preparatory behaviors, and non-suicidal self-injurious behavior. The quantitative study used a randomized crossover-equivalence design, and the primary outcome was agreement between the tablet and IVR versions.
Foreign-born and less acculturated Latinos/as are also more susceptible to mental health care disparities than their U.S. born and more acculturated counterparts (Cabassa, 2016). Latinos/as in the United States (U.S.), face persistent mental health care disparities, even after adjusting for education, health insurance, and socioeconomic factors. If we had that much money, we could be offering free therapy and healthcare to so many people.
All articles provided sufficient detail to replicate the intervention reported detailed baseline participant characteristics (e.g., gender, ethnicity, race), and had short follow-up periods of less than six months. Latinos/as in the United States (U.S.) represent 18.3% of the population and are projected to increase to 28% by 2060 (Kahar & Negroni, 2020). The majority of studies were small pilot studies with small samples and short follow-up periods of less than a month. The methodological rigor of each study was assessed using an adapted version of the Methodological Quality Rating Scale.
This included being unable to attend church, see family members, or attend community or social events. Prospective study participants were recruited from 14 Latinx-serving community organizations, ranging from community health centers to middle schools, predominantly located in Massachusetts, United States. We interviewed predominantly mental health providers since they have direct experience with the Latinx population and understand their mental health needs. However, these previous findings around barriers to health and social services for the Latinx communities in the US https://www.essence.com/lifestyle/the-loveland-foundation-therapy/ have not been examined during the COVID-19 pandemic.