TY - JOUR
T1 - Factors associated with willingness to use mental health services in Korean immigrants
AU - Lee, Sharon
AU - Jang, Yuri
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2016 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
PY - 2016/4/15
Y1 - 2016/4/15
N2 - Responding to the concern about underutilization of mental health services in immigrant populations, the present study explored the factors associated with Korean immigrants' willingness to use mental health services. Guided by Andersen's behavioral model, consideration was given to the role of predisposing (age, gender, marital status, education, and years in the United States), need (depressive symptoms), and enabling (health insurance, acculturation, and personal beliefs about depression) variables. The study estimated, using data from a sample of 205 Korean immigrants (ages 18-45), a logistic regression model of willingness to use mental health services. Although participants experiencing more depressive symptoms tend to be less willing to use these services (odds ratio [OR] =.89, p <.05), an increase in the odds of willingness to use them are found among women (OR=2.52, p <.01), highly acculturated individuals (OR=1.09, p <.05), and individuals who believe that depression is a medical condition (OR=4.71, p <.01). Educational interventions focused on increasing mental health literacy may be beneficial in promoting mental health services for Korean immigrants.
AB - Responding to the concern about underutilization of mental health services in immigrant populations, the present study explored the factors associated with Korean immigrants' willingness to use mental health services. Guided by Andersen's behavioral model, consideration was given to the role of predisposing (age, gender, marital status, education, and years in the United States), need (depressive symptoms), and enabling (health insurance, acculturation, and personal beliefs about depression) variables. The study estimated, using data from a sample of 205 Korean immigrants (ages 18-45), a logistic regression model of willingness to use mental health services. Although participants experiencing more depressive symptoms tend to be less willing to use these services (odds ratio [OR] =.89, p <.05), an increase in the odds of willingness to use them are found among women (OR=2.52, p <.01), highly acculturated individuals (OR=1.09, p <.05), and individuals who believe that depression is a medical condition (OR=4.71, p <.01). Educational interventions focused on increasing mental health literacy may be beneficial in promoting mental health services for Korean immigrants.
KW - Asian Americans
KW - depression
KW - ethnic minorities
KW - health disparities
KW - immigrants
KW - Mental health help-seeking
KW - willingness toward mental health services
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84961200818&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/19371918.2015.1125319
DO - 10.1080/19371918.2015.1125319
M3 - Article
C2 - 26984783
AN - SCOPUS:84961200818
SN - 1937-1918
VL - 31
SP - 196
EP - 203
JO - Social Work in Public Health
JF - Social Work in Public Health
IS - 3
ER -