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Mental health is a significant issue across the country. In 2021, over 57 million adults in the United States – about 1 in 5 – experienced mental illness, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
As of February 2023, 36.8% of adults in Texas reported symptoms of anxiety and/or depressive disorder, compared to 32.3% of adults in the U.S., according to a Kaiser Family Foundation analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data.
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 35.1% of Hispanic/Latinx adults with mental illness receive treatment each year compared to the U.S. average of 46.2%.
Some cultures place a stigma on seeking mental health care, adding to the difficulties of treating a diverse patient population. According to a 2020 National Institutes of Mental Health and Health Disparities report, Hispanics are more likely to drop out before completing treatment and are less likely to obtain follow-up care.
Our mental health expert at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso is available to speak on the increase in serious mental illness among Hispanics. .
- What does that look like?
- What are the most common serious mental illnesses among Hispanics?
- What is being done to ensure people in Hispanic populations follow through with treatment plans?
- What are the barriers to mental health care for Hispanics?
- Language
- Poverty – 0%of Hispanic/Latinx people in the U.S. live in poverty (compared to 8.2% of non-Hispanic whites). Individuals who live in poverty have a higher risk of mental illness and, conversely, individuals with mental illness have a higher risk of living in poverty.
- Cultural competence (miss diagnosing due to lack of cultural understanding and language)
- Stigma – Some people do not seek treatment for mental illness out of fear of being labeled as “locos” (crazy) or bringing shame and unwanted attention to their families.
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