Jang Yuri, Kim Giyeon, Hansen Lianne, Chiriboga David A
Department of Aging and Mental Health, Florida Mental Health Institute, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33612, USA.
J Am Geriatr Soc. 2007 Apr;55(4):616-20. doi: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2007.01125.x.
Given the increasing evidence that older ethnic minorities underuse mental health services, the present study assessed determinants of attitudes toward mental health services with a sample of older Korean Americans (N=472). Adapting Andersen's behavioral health model, predisposing factors (age, sex, marital status, education, length of residence in the United States), mental health needs (anxiety, suicidal ideation, depressive symptoms), and enabling factors (personal experiences and beliefs) were considered as potential predictors. Shorter residence in the United States and higher levels of depressive symptoms were associated with more-negative attitudes toward mental health services. Culture-influenced personal beliefs (knowledge about mental illness and stigmatism) were found to play a substantial role in shaping individuals' attitudes toward mental health services. Findings call attention to the need to investigate how culture influences the response to mental health needs and to develop community education and outreach programs to close the gaps between mental health needs and service utilization in older ethnic minority populations.
鉴于越来越多的证据表明老年少数族裔未充分利用心理健康服务，本研究以472名韩裔美国老年人为样本，评估了对心理健康服务态度的决定因素。采用安德森的行为健康模型，将 predisposing因素（年龄、性别、婚姻状况、教育程度、在美国的居住时长）、心理健康需求（焦虑、自杀意念、抑郁症状）和促成因素（个人经历和信念）视为潜在预测因素。在美国居住时间较短和抑郁症状水平较高与对心理健康服务的更消极态度相关。发现受文化影响的个人信念（对精神疾病的了解和污名化）在塑造个体对心理健康服务的态度方面发挥了重要作用。研究结果提醒人们注意，有必要调查文化如何影响对心理健康需求的反应，并制定社区教育和外展计划，以缩小老年少数族裔人群心理健康需求与服务利用之间的差距。
