scholarly journals Depression among Asian Americans: Review and Recommendations

2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zornitsa Kalibatseva ◽  
Frederick T. L. Leong
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Asian Americans ◽  
Asian American ◽  
Racial Groups ◽  
Cultural Validity ◽  
Multiple Factors ◽  
Prevalence Of Depression ◽  
Dsm Iv ◽  
Receive Treatment

This article presents a review of the prevalence and manifestation of depression among Asian Americans and discusses some of the existing issues in the assessment and diagnosis of depression among Asian Americans. The authors point out the diversity and increasing numbers of Asian Americans and the need to provide better mental health services for this population. While the prevalence of depression among Asian Americans is lower than that among other ethnic/racial groups, Asian Americans receive treatment for depression less often and its quality is less adequate. In addition, the previous belief that Asians somatize depression may become obsolete as more evidence appears to support that Westerners may “psychologize” depression. The cultural validity of the current DSM-IV conceptualization of depression is questioned. In the course of the review, the theme of complexity emerges: the heterogeneity of ethnic Asian American groups, the multidimensionality of depression, and the intersectionality of multiple factors among depressed Asian Americans.

scholarly journals Asian-Americans Remain Low Utilizers of County Mental Health Services

CNS Spectrums ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 141-163
Author(s):  
Julia Luu Hoang ◽  
Richard J. Lee
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Asian Americans ◽  
Asian American ◽  
Task Force ◽  
Fiscal Year ◽  
Riverside County ◽  
Health Fairs ◽  
County Mental Health

AbstractThe National Latino and Asian American Study (NLAAS, 2002–2003, n =2095) indicated that Asian-Americans (AA) use mental health services less frequently than the general population (8.6% vs. 17.95%). Even AA who have been diagnosed with mental health disorders use mental health services less frequently than their non-AA counterparts (34.1% versus 41.1%)2. AA in Riverside County count for 7.4% of the population, or about 181,356 individuals, according to the 2018 census estimates. The objective of the study is to examine and compare rates of utilization of mental health services by AA specifically in the Riverside County setting. This study utilizes data on patients’ ethnicity, age, gender, and diagnosis as collected annually by the Riverside County Department of Mental Health from the fiscal year of 2017–2018. It compares the prevalence of psychiatric disorders and the rate of utilization of mental health services by AA in the county to the data collected by the NLAAS. The total number of AA using mental health services in Riverside County is 669, which totals 1.73% of all individuals accessing the same services. The number of AA using mental health services represented 0.45% of the total AA population in Riverside County. AA in Riverside County are utilizing MH services even less than the national rates (0.45% vs 8.6% nationally from NLAAS data). The gap in care illustrated by these results exemplifies not only the disparity in utilization of MH services seen in this particular ethnic group, but portrays the stagnant results from Riverside County s attempts to address this issue. Possible reasons for the disparity include lack of access, stigma, recovery, migration, and a lack of culturally-competent care. A reimagined outreach initiative may help to better address this issue. Riverside County already has implemented an AA Task Force, holds health fairs at local churches in the communities, supports a UCR School of Medicine student-run free clinic, and is active in NAMI events.

Behavioral, chronic and mental health in minority women: results from the national Latino Asian American study

2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (S2) ◽  
pp. 1655-1655
Author(s):  
H. Appel ◽  
A. Ai ◽  
B. Huang
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Asian Americans ◽  
Asian American ◽  
American Study ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Asian American Women ◽  
American Women ◽  
Mental Health Issues ◽  
Ethnic Subgroups

IntroductionAsian Americans and Latino women underutilize mental health services.Studies show Asian American women have higher depression scores and less physical activity than their male counterparts. Ethnic minorities are deterred from seeking mental health care in a timely manner or from following appropriate treatment guidelines. Asian American women are less likely to seek mental health services compared to Latina and white women. Mental health issues in Asian and Latina women may be masked by psychosomatic complaints. Data from the National Latino Asian American Study, the first comprehensive epidemiological study of Asian Americans and Latinos in the USA.ObjectivesTo examine the behavioral, chronic and mental health issues in Latina and Asian American women.Methods3,012 Asian American and Latina American women from six ethnic subgroups (Chinese, Filipino, Vietnamese, Cuban, Mexican, and Puerto Rican Americans) from metropolitan areas were interviewed. Measures include behavioral, drug, chronic health conditions, and mental health issues, and frequency of health service seeking using T-tests and ANOVA.ResultsThe results showed Asian Americans women have less heart disease compared with Latina American women, but higher rates of smoking. More Filipinos rated their health as “Excellent” compared with Chinese and Vietnamese, and experience less major depressive disorder than their Asian counterparts. All three Asian American subgroups experience less anxiety than Latina American women.ConclusionsWhile raters of mental health problems may be low, they are unique in how they manifest themselves, and in the distinct ways in which they seek health services. There are marked differences among major ethnic subgroups.

Understanding and Addressing the Stigma in Mental Health Within the Asian and Asian-American Culture

2021 ◽  
pp. 943-970
Author(s):  
Ben Tran
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Asian Americans ◽  
Asian American ◽  
Mental Health Stigma ◽  
Asian Culture ◽  
Negative Attitudes ◽  
Stigmatizing Attitudes ◽  
History Of

Mental health stigma can be defined as the display of negative attitudes, based on prejudice and misinformation, in response to a marker of illness. Stigma creates mental distress for individuals, which furthers stigmatizing attitudes, thereby making it a relentless force and as incompetent in achieving life goals such as living independently or having a good job. Over the years, researchers have consistently highlighted the problem of mental health service underutilization within the Asians and Asian-Americans communities. As such, understanding the cultural contexts that facilitate good outcomes may offer a lever or stigma reduction. Thus, the purpose of this chapter is to understand and address the sociocultural and psychological paradigms of the stigma in mental health within Asians and Asian-Americans. This chapter will cover the history of stigma within the Asian culture, Asian's mental health, mental health services utilization within the Asian culture, and methods of addressing the stigma within the Asian culture to promote the utilization of mental health services.

Understanding and Addressing the Stigma in Mental Health Within the Asian and Asian-American Culture

2018 ◽  
pp. 70-107
Author(s):  
Ben Tran
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Asian Americans ◽  
Asian American ◽  
Mental Health Stigma ◽  
Asian Culture ◽  
Negative Attitudes ◽  
Stigmatizing Attitudes ◽  
History Of

Mental health stigma can be defined as the display of negative attitudes, based on prejudice and misinformation, in response to a marker of illness. Stigma creates mental distress for individuals, which furthers stigmatizing attitudes, thereby making it a relentless force and as incompetent in achieving life goals such as living independently or having a good job. Over the years, researchers have consistently highlighted the problem of mental health service underutilization within the Asians and Asian-Americans communities. As such, understanding the cultural contexts that facilitate good outcomes may offer a lever or stigma reduction. Thus, the purpose of this chapter is to understand and address the sociocultural and psychological paradigms of the stigma in mental health within Asians and Asian-Americans. This chapter will cover the history of stigma within the Asian culture, Asian's mental health, mental health services utilization within the Asian culture, and methods of addressing the stigma within the Asian culture to promote the utilization of mental health services.

The Bridge Program: A Model for Delivering Mental Health Services to Asian Americans through Primary Care

2005 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hongtu Chen ◽  
Elizabeth Kramer ◽  
Teddy Chen ◽  
Jianping Chen ◽  
Henry Chung
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Primary Care ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Asian Americans ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Primary Care Providers ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Bridge Program ◽  
Community Awareness

Compared to all other racial and ethnic groups, Asian Americans have the lowest utilization of mental health services. Contributing factors include extremely low community awareness about mental health, a lack of culturally competent Asian American mental health professionals, and severe stigma associated with mental illness. This manuscript describes an innovative program that bridges the gap between primary care and mental health services. The Bridge Program, cited in the supplement to the Surgeon’s General’s Report on Mental Health: Culture, Race, and Ethnicity as a model for delivery of mental health services through primary care; (2) to improve capacity by enhancing the skills of primary care providers to identify and treat mental disorders commonly seen in primary care; and (3) to raise community awareness by providing health education on mental health and illness. Results are presented and the potential for replication is addressed.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document