Abstract
Mounting evidence indicates that there are mental health disparities in the United States that disadvantage racial/ethnic minorities in medical and mental health settings. Less is known, however, about how these findings apply to a particularly vulnerable population, individuals with severe mental illness (SMI). The aim of this paper is to (1) provide a critical review of the literature on racial/ethnic disparities in mental health care among individuals with SMI; (2) identify factors which may contribute to the observed disparities; and (3) generate recommendations on how best to address these disparities. Specifically, this article provides an in-depth review of sociocultural factors that may contribute to differences in treatment engagement and rates of attrition from treatment among racial/ethnic minorities with SMI who present at medical and mental health facilities. This review is followed by a discussion of specific strategies that may promote engagement in mental health services and therefore reduce racial/ethnic disparities in SMI.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 187-210 |
Number of pages | 24 |
Journal | Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings |
Volume | 24 |
Issue number | 3-4 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Dec 1 2017 |
Keywords
- Health disparities
- Minorities
- Severe mental illness
- Treatment attrition
- Treatment engagement
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Clinical Psychology