National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month by Ingrid Herrera-Yee

In 2008, the U.S. House of Representatives in honor of Bebe Moore Campbell, designated July as National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. Bebe Moore Campbell was an accomplished author, advocate and national spokesperson, who passed in November 2006. Campbell advocated for mental health education and support among individuals of diverse communities.  This month, we bring awareness to the disparity in mental health treatment and access to care among minority groups in the U.S. with the hope that increased public awareness could bring about positive changes for these communities.

Background

Mental illness affects one in four adults and one in ten children in America. The U.S. Surgeon General reports that minorities are less likely to receive diagnosis and treatment for their mental illness, have less access to and availability of mental health services and often receive a poorer quality of mental health care. Furthermore, mental illness is a leading cause of disability; yet nearly two-thirds of people with a diagnosable mental illness do not seek treatment, and racial and ethnic groups in the U.S. are even less likely to get help, according to the National Alliance for Mental Illness.

During National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, help raise awareness in your community. Encourage your family, friends and loved ones to learn more about improving mental health and illness. NAMI and Ed4Career ask you to Take Action to raise awareness about mental health!

Why is this awareness so important? According to the Office of Minority Health minority groups in the U.S. are experiencing a disparity in care and increased mental health problems as a result:

African Americans and Mental Health:

• African Americans are less likely to receive accurate diagnoses than their Caucasian counterparts.
• African Americans living below the poverty level, as compared to those over twice the poverty level, are 3 times more likely to report psychological distress.
• African Americans are 20% more likely to report having serious psychological distress than Non-Hispanic Whites.
• Non-Hispanic Whites are more than twice as likely to receive antidepressant prescription treatments as are Non-Hispanic Blacks.
• The death rate from suicide for African American men was almost four times that for African American women, in 2009.
• A report from the U.S. Surgeon General found that from 1980 - 1995; the suicide rate among African Americans ages 10 to 14 increased 233%, as compared to 120% of Non-Hispanic Whites.

Asian Americans and Mental Health:

• Older Asian American women have the highest suicide rate of all women over age 65 in the United States.
• Suicide was the 10th leading cause of death for Asian Americans in 2009.
• Southeast Asian refugees are at risk for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) associated with trauma experienced before and after immigration to the U.S. One study found that 70% of Southeast Asian refugees receiving mental health care were diagnosed with PTSD.
• For Asian Americans, the rate of serious psychological distress increases with lower levels of income, as it does in most other ethnic populations.

Hispanic-Americans and Mental Health:

• Hispanics living below the poverty level, as compared to Hispanics over twice the poverty level, are three times more likely to report psychological distress.
• The death rate from suicide for Hispanic men is almost five times the rate for Hispanic women, in 2009.
• Suicide attempts for Hispanic girls, grades 9-12, were 70% higher than for White girls in the same age group, in 2011.
• Non-Hispanic Whites received mental health treatment 2 times more often than Hispanics, in 2008.

American Indian/Alaska Natives and Mental Health:

• While the overall death rate from suicide for American Indian/Alaska Natives is comparable to the White population, adolescent American Indian/Alaska Natives have death rates at twice the rate for Whites in the same age groups.
• In 2009, suicide was the second leading cause of death for American Indian/Alaska Natives between the ages of 10 and 34.
• American Indian/Alaska Natives are twice as likely to experience feelings of nervousness or restlessness as compared to non-Hispanic Whites.
• Violent deaths – unintentional injuries, homicide, and suicide – account for 75% of all mortality in the second decade of life for American Indian/Alaska Natives.
• While the overall death rate from suicide for American Indian/Alaska Natives is comparable to the White population, adolescent American Indian/Alaska Native females have death rates at almost four the rate for White females in the same age groups.

In the face of these statistics, it is important to encourage increased diversity and diversity training among those who serve minority populations. Some things to consider when working with minority populations:

• Many minority groups tend to rely on family, religious and social communities for emotional support rather than turning to health care professionals, even though this may at times be necessary.
• Mental illness is frequently stigmatized and misunderstood in minority communities. Members of minority groups are much more likely to seek help though their primary care doctors as opposed to accessing specialty care.

With greater understanding, awareness and education around cultural differences, we can all do our part to decrease the stigma and improve access to care for all. One important piece is education. Ed4Career offers a course on Culture, Race and Ethnicity among others to increase the cultural competence of providers of mental health services as well as to provide students with general information for working with specific racial and ethnic groups. All with a vision towards improving access and removing barriers to mental health care for all.

For more information on courses offered, please visit: https://Ed4Career.com