ERIC Number: EJ990949
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2012-Oct
Pages: 13
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0003-066X
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
From Documenting to Eliminating Disparities in Mental Health Care for Latinos
Lopez, Steven R.; Barrio, Concepcion; Kopelowicz, Alex; Vega, William A.
American Psychologist, v67 n7 p511-523 Oct 2012
The U.S. Surgeon General's report "Mental Health: Culture, Race and Ethnicity--A Supplement to Mental Health: A Report of the Surgeon General" (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2001) identified significant disparities in mental health care for Latinos and recommended directions for future research and mental health services. We update that report by reviewing five groundbreaking research projects on the mental health of Latinos that were published since 2001. National studies of adults and children, longitudinal designs, and analyses of Latino subgroups characterize these investigations. Despite the increasing sophistication of disparities research, these landmark studies, as well as the research in the supplemental report, can be characterized as documenting disparities in care. We argue that the next wave of research should give greater attention to reducing and eliminating disparities. Accordingly, we apply Rogler and Cortes's (1993) framework of pathways to care to the study of Latinos with schizophrenia. Specifically, we draw on research regarding the recognition of illness, social networks (families) and their association with the course of illness, and interventions. We illustrate examples at each pathway that have the potential to reduce disparities. We argue that implementing interventions synchronously across multiple pathways has considerable potential to reduce and eventually eliminate disparities in mental health care. (Contains 2 footnotes.)
Descriptors: Health Services, Mental Health, Schizophrenia, Child Health, Social Networks, Mental Health Programs, Public Policy, Hispanic Americans, Longitudinal Studies, Research Needs, Clinical Diagnosis, Intervention, Adults
American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org/publications
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
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Authoring Institution: N/A
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Author Affiliations: N/A