J
Ment Health Adm 1994 Fall;21(4):347-60
Women and outpatient mental health services: use by black, Hispanic,
and white women in a national insured population.
Padgett DK, Patrick C, Burns BJ, Schlesinger HJ.
School of Social Work, New York University, New York City 10003.
Factors affecting ethnic differences in women's use of outpatient mental
health services were analyzed to determine whether lower use by black
and Hispanic women occurred when socioeconomic and other factors are controlled.
Employing the Andersen and Newman model of health use, insurance claims
of 1.2 million federal employees insured by Blue Cross/Blue Shield in
1983 were analyzed to identify significant predictors of use. Results
revealed that black and Hispanic women had lower probabilities and amounts
of use when compared to white women even after controlling for a number
of variables. Further research is needed to examine cultural and gender-related
factors that may underlie ethnic differences; attitudinal factors and
service system barriers are also implicated. Such findings have policy
implications in the current climate of health care reform for which efforts
are needed to increase access to care for ethnic minority women and other
underserved populations.
Publication Types: Review; Review, Tutorial
PMID: 10138009 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
