Determinants of help-seeking behaviors among Latino and Asian American immigrants: The importance of immigration and family stressors

In spite of substantial growth in Latino and Asian American immigrant populations, there remain considerable questions concerning their mental health status. Given limited research on the influence of immigration and family factors on service use among immigrants with a perceived need for mental health services, the present study addressed the following: (a) Among Latino (n = 285) and Asian American (n = 153) immigrants who perceived themselves and/or were perceived by others to be in need of mental health services, how many actually sought help?; (b) What family- and immigration-related factors predict their actual help-seeking behavior? Secondary analyses of data from the National Latino and Asian American Study revealed that 46% of those in need of professional help did not actually seek out help. A series of logistic regression analyses demonstrated that immigrants without health insurance and who emigrated to the U.S. at an older age underutilized mental health services. Greater acculturative stress and lower family cultural conflict predicted underuse of service, even after controlling for demographics, immigration-related factors, and lifetime psychiatric diagnosis. Immigrants who emigrated later in life experienced greater acculturation stressors, which in turn, were linked to service underutilization. These findings highlight structural and cultural factors associated with immigration and family that impact service use in both Latino and Asian American groups. Understanding these factors is critical to creating programs that fulfill the mental health needs of these immigrant communities and to overcoming barriers to service utilization, particularly among those in need of those services.