Examining the mental health status and healthcare use of older Asian Americans in California using CHIS 2007

Background: While research suggests that Asian American older adults may be more vulnerable to mental illness than non-Hispanic whites, less is known about the mental health needs of older adults from various Asian subgroups. Asian Americans represent a mix of cultures and immigration experiences, which put them differentially at risk for mental health problems. Objectives: To compare the prevalence rates of mental distress and serious mental illness of Chinese, Filipino, South Asian, Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese older adults (aged 55 and older) to that of non-Hispanic whites; and to examine differences in utilization of mental health services. Methods: A cross-sectional analysis of a population-based sample of California adults responding to the 2007 California Health Interview Survey. Multivariable logistic regression will be used to examine ethnic/racial differences in mental health status, needs, and use of mental health services, after adjusting for respondent socio-demographic characteristics, including language proficiency, insurance status, and general health status. Results: A total of 20,568 respondents were included. Japanese older adults reported the lowest levels of distress (n=263, mean level of distress=1.52), followed by South Asian (n=87, mean=2.28), Chinese (n=496, mean=2.30) and Vietnamese (n=175, mean=2.75) respondents. Filipino (n=255, mean=3.41) and Korean (n=288, mean=3.49) respondents reported significantly more distress than non-Hispanic whites (n=16,086, mean=2.83). Analyses examining the relationship between language proficiency and use and access to mental health services will be presented. Discussion/Conclusions: Significant variations in mental health needs exist among subgroups of Asian Americans. Implications for addressing the mental health needs of older Asian Americans will be discussed.