@article{1485dd05a692426080a4586cfcfcc4aa,
title = "Beyond demographics: Attitudinal barriers to the mental health service use of immigrants in the U.S.",
abstract = "Immigrants are at greater risk for mental health concerns but are less likely to use mental health services than their U.S.-born counterparts. Efforts to understand these disparities have focused on demographic characteristics while largely ignoring the role of immigrants{\textquoteright} beliefs and values. This review synthesizes the research on the mental health-related beliefs and values associated with the mental health service underutilization of each major U.S. immigrant group. Results revealed two overarching attitudinal themes common to several immigrant groups and several attitudinal barriers unique to individual groups. They also elucidated several areas for additional research and highlighted the need to target these beliefs and values in public health efforts promoting MHS use among U.S. immigrants.",
keywords = "Barriers, Health disparities, Immigrants, Mental health services",
author = "Thania Galvan and Mayra Lomeli-Garcia and \{La Barrie\}, \{Dominique L.\} and Rodriguez, \{Violeta J.\} and Oswaldo Moreno",
note = "VJR time and effort on this manuscript was supported by a Ford Foundation Fellowship, administered by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine ( NASEM ), a PEO Scholar Award from the PEO Sisterhood, and NIMH R36MH127838. Culturally and religiously based mental health beliefs have been identified as prominent factors influencing Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) immigrants' MHS use. Indeed, many MENA cultures heavily emphasize the preservation of family integrity and honor [11,12]. Within this cultural framework, an individual's mental health concerns are often viewed as consequential to both the individual and the family unit. The desire to preserve family integrity and honor is a commonly cited barrier to MENA immigrants{\textquoteright} MHS use and explains why MENA immigrants generally prefer to rely on family members to support their mental health concerns [11–13]. There are also notable gendered differences in MENA immigrants' MHS use in large part due to traditional gender roles and expectations. Many MENA cultures hold patriarchal values where men are viewed as the head of the household [12,13]. Thus, a common reason that MENA immigrant women may underutilize MHS is that doing so can be perceived by MENA immigrant men as a threat to their household authority and result in unwanted repercussions (e.g., interpersonal violence) for the women or their family members [14,16]. Further, while MENA immigrants in the U.S. are religiously diverse, a large and growing proportion of this population identifies as Muslim [17]. Muslim MENA immigrants are inclined to view mental health concerns as arising from an individual's deviation from the Islamic faith [12,18]. This belief, as well as the belief that Islam is a source of healing and resilience, plays a role in Muslim MENA immigrants' MHS underutilization [12].VJR time and effort on this manuscript was supported by a Ford Foundation Fellowship, administered by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM), a PEO Scholar Award from the PEO Sisterhood, and NIMH R36MH127838.",
year = "2022",
month = oct,
doi = "10.1016/j.copsyc.2022.101437",
language = "English (US)",
volume = "47",
journal = "Current Opinion in Psychology",
issn = "2352-250X",
publisher = "Elsevier B.V.",
}