Mental Health Literacy, Stigma, and Behavioral Health Service Use: the Case of Latinx and Non-Latinx Whites.

OBJECTIVES

Two research questions guided this study. What is the difference, if any, between Latinx and non-Latinx Whites (NLWs) in mental health literacy about depression, depression-related stigma, and lifetime history of behavioral health service use? and Does mental health literacy and depression-related stigma mediate the relationship between ethnicity and lifetime history of behavioral health service use?

METHOD/DESIGN: Data for this cross-sectional study was collected from a primary care clinic. Participants (N = 271) completed measures on mental health literacy and stigma.

RESULTS

Results from a multivariate analysis of covariance revealed that Latinxs had lower levels of mental health literacy, higher levels of stigma, and lower lifetime prevalence rates of behavioral health service use. Results from a path analysis indicated that personal stigma partially mediated the relationship between ethnicity and lifetime history of behavioral health service use.

CONCLUSION

Interventions targeting stigma may reduce disparities in behavioral health service utilization.