Spotlight on Mental Health in Hispanic Communities

Hispanic Heritage Month and Mental Health

September 15th marked the start of Hispanic Heritage Month with this year’s theme of Unidos: Inclusivity for a Stronger Nation. In recognizing the need for inclusivity of Hispanic cultures, it’s important to shine a light on the barriers and challenges faced within Hispanic communities when it comes to seeking mental health care. Like other BIPOC communities, Hispanic communities face a variety of attitudes and barriers that can limit their access to quality care and create stigmas surrounding mental health. 

Facts and Figures

• 18.3% of the U.S. population is estimated to be Hispanic or Latino. Of those individuals, 16% reported having a mental illness in the past year. 
• 35.1% of Hispanic/Latinx adults receive mental health treatment each year compared to the U.S. average of 46.2% of adults. 
• Only 1 in 11 Latinx immigrants with mental health disorders will contact mental health specialists, and only 1 in 20 will actually utilize mental health care services. 

Mental Health Challenges Facing Latinx Communities

A variety of factors contribute to mental health conditions in Hispanic communities, including immigration, acculturation, generational conflicts, discrimination, and cultural identity issues. In addition, there are several barriers to care that reduce the likelihood that individuals of Hispanic cultures will seek and receive the care they need. 

• Exposure to Trauma – For individuals who have immigrated to the United States from Latin American countries, there are unique challenges related to exposure to trauma both in their home countries and in the U.S. Many Latinx immigrants face underemployment, inadequate housing accommodations, a lack of social support, and discrimination. These stressors put Latinx immigrants at a higher risk for mental health conditions as well as substance abuse. As a result, Latina women are also at a higher risk of becoming victims of domestic violence. This type of trauma also exists generationally, as discrimination and pressure to assimilate into different cultures is constant for individuals with Hispanic backgrounds, regardless of immigration status. 

• Economic Barriers – 17% of Hispanic people in the U.S. live in poverty, compared to 8.2% of non-Hispanic whites. Individuals in poverty are not only more likely to experience mental illness due to a variety of stressors, but they are also less likely to have any form of health insurance that provides access to professional care. In 2019, 20% of non-elderly Hispanic people in the U.S. had no form of health insurance. 

• Cultural Barriers – Many Hispanic cultures do not encourage openness about family life, personal feelings, and daily stressors, especially among men. As a result, Latinx communities often carry stigmas about recognizing mental health conditions and seeking help for them, even if access to care is available. Moreover, Hispanic patients are more likely to focus on the physical ailments that may accompany mental illness, so healthcare professionals frequently misdiagnose conditions like anxiety and depression among this group of patients. 

• Legal Barriers – For undocumented immigrants—a population that faces the highest risk for mental illness—there is constant fear of seeking medical care or registering for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act due to the risk of deportation. Some families may also be unaware of their eligibility to register for health insurance.  

• Language Barriers – It’s not always possible to find a Spanish-speaking provider, and even with a Spanish-speaking doctor or therapist, there may be differences in dialects or language proficiency that can limit communication. An interpreter may be necessary for medical appointments, which can create an uncomfortable environment when discussing sensitive personal issues and mental health symptoms. Seeking care in Spanish can also create bias among providers. Bilingual patients are often treated differently in English versus Spanish—when patients and providers communicate primarily in Spanish, patients are typically undertreated. 

Seeking Care and Resources 

If you or a family member has had difficulty finding culturally appropriate and affordable care, there are resources available that can help. These include:

• • The American Society of Hispanic Psychiatry – This is an organization comprised of psychiatrists, psychologists, and other mental health providers of Hispanic backgrounds focused on closing the gap in care for minority populations, specifically those in Latinx communities. Their website features a growing list of physician members across the United States, along with news and resources related to mental health in the Hispanic community. 
• • Therapy for Latinx – If you are having difficulty finding a provider to suit your needs, Therapy for Latinx offers a database of therapists who identify as Latinx or have worked closely with Latinx communities and have a firm understanding of their needs and challenges. Psychology Today also provides an online tool to find Hispanic and Latino therapists within specific geographic areas. 

• United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health – This branch of the Department of Health and Human Services offers a wealth of mental health and general health information in several languages online, including Spanish and Portuguese. 

Here at Integrated Behavioral Health, we are passionate about providing culturally sensitive, accessible care for the diverse population we serve across seven clinic locations in Alabama. If you are ready to begin your journey in seeking mental health care, visit our website to request an appointment.