Caregiver perceptions of barriers to the utilization of mental health services among Mexican-Americans with severe mental illness

The purpose of this study was to explore the combined effect or contribution of five barriers to the utilization of mental health services among Mexican-Americans with severe mental illness (SMI) simultaneously. The following barriers to utilization of mental health services were explored taking into account an assessment on acculturation: (1) cultural beliefs about mental health problems, (2) ineffective and inappropriate therapies, (3) language barrier, (4) access problems or other barriers, (5) the protective effects of family and social network supports. A quantitative interview was conducted with 30 Mexican-American caregivers of patients diagnosed with a SMI.; Results indicated minimal utilization of mental health services within the past year among Mexican-Americans, which was consistent with the literature. Underutilization of mental health services was low in regards to the middle to high acculturation level that existed among the participants. The correlation between the scores of the language barrier and scores for mental health utilization indicated that services are more likely to be utilized when there is less of a language barrier. Another significant correlation was between age and utilization of mental health services. As age of the caregiver increased, the level of mental health utilization decreased. The correlation between education (p < .05) and income (p < .01) with utilization of mental health services was also significant. There was also a significant difference with employment and the level of mental health utilization. Nine caregivers who were not employed indicated lower utilization of mental health services (p < .05). Findings suggest that the less the number of barriers in a person's life the less severe the underutilization of mental health services will be among Mexican-Americans.