Racial and Ethnic Differences Among Active-Duty Service Members in Use of Mental Health Care and Perceived Mental Health Stigma: Results From the 2018 Health Related Behaviors Survey

Details

• Journal Article:
  Preventing Chronic Disease (PCD)
• Personal Author:
  Piro, Lauren ; Luo, Huabin ; Jones, Katherine ; Lazorick, Suzanne ; Cummings, Doyle M. ; Saeed, Sy Atezaz
• Description:
  Introduction
  
  The prevalence of mental health disorders is rising among US service members; however, research is limited on their use of mental health care. The objective of our study was to determine whether racial and ethnic disparities exist in the use of mental health care and perceived mental health stigma among active-duty service members.
  
  Methods
  
  We obtained data from a sample of 17,166 active-duty service members who participated in the 2018 Department of Defense Health Related Behavior Survey (HRBS). Racial and ethnic groups included Black, Hispanic, White, and other. Yes–no questions about use of mental health care and perceived mental health stigma were our outcome variables. We used multiple logistic regression to assess racial and ethnic differences in mental health care use and perceived mental health stigma by service members. Significance was set at P <.05.
  
  Results
  
  In 2018, approximately 25.5% of service members self-reported using mental health services, and 34.2% self-reported perceived mental health stigma. Hispanic service members (AOR = 0.78) and service members in the “other” racial and ethnic group (AOR = 0.81) were less likely than their White counterparts to have used mental health care. Black (AOR = 0.68) and Hispanic (AOR = 0.86) service members were less likely than their White counterparts to self-report perceived mental health stigma.
  
  Conclusion
  
  The 2018 HRBS showed racial and ethnic differences in mental health care use and perceived stigma among US active-duty service members. Perceived stigma was a barrier to use of mental health care among service members with a mental health condition. Culture-sensitive programs customized for different racial and ethnic groups are needed to promote mental health care and reduce perceptions of stigma associated with its use.
  
  
• Subjects:
  Black Or African American Ethnicity Health Behavior Hispanic Or Latino Humans Mental Health Services Military Personnel Patient Acceptance Of Health Care Racial Groups Social Stigma White

  More +
• Source:
  Prev Chronic Dis. 2023; 20
• DOI:
  http://dx.doi.org/10.5888/pcd20.220419
• ISSN:
  1545-1151
• Pubmed ID:
  37769249
• Pubmed Central ID:
  PMC10557975
• Document Type:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  United States
• Volume:
  20
• Collection(s):
  Preventing Chronic Disease
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:06e04980e1844a60a78223cb6e85303040da51cd0922b86fc2307948152f8ab4f555ad90446f029fecbb0bfa6da0c948d8d9978ccab98fa12f63d54705c49155
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/151114/cdc_151114_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 506.26 KB ]