Mental health: context matters
- Collection:
- Health Policy and Services Research
- Series Title(s):
- City voices
- Author(s):
- Scherer, Maya, author Fisher, Elisa, author Chantarat, Tongtan, author Li, Yan, author Realmuto, Lindsey, author Abbott, Sharon A., author Green, Dona, author Weiss, Linda, author
- Contributor(s):
- New York Academy of Medicine, issuing body.
- Publication:
- New York, N.Y., : New York Academy of Medicine, November 2015
- Language(s):
- English
- Format:
- Text
- Subject(s):
- Community Mental Health Services Delivery of Health Care, Integrated -- organization & administration Health Services Accessibility Mental Disorders -- therapy Mental Health Services Primary Health Care Health Care Surveys Health Services Needs and Demand Poverty Humans New York United States
- Genre(s):
- Technical Report
- Abstract:
- This data brief is part of a series--"City Voices: New Yorkers on Health"-- developed to give a voice to the health needs of people in the city who are oftentimes invisible or unheard. "Mental Health: Context Matters" does this by highlighting informative personal experiences of primarily low-income New Yorkers in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens. Depression, anxiety and psychological distress are recognized as common conditions among residents of low-income New York City neighborhoods, yet there is insufficient information on residents' perceptions of underlying causes, consequences, or perceived access to treatment. In 2014, a mixed-method community needs assessment was conducted including 2,875 surveys with primarily low-income New Yorkers in four boroughs; 81 focus groups; and 41 key informant interviews. Survey and focus group participants were recruited using a purposeful sampling strategy, with intentional overrepresentation from those engaged with social service programs or with identified health needs. Data focused on factors in the community that might facilitate or impede health, physical and behavioral health concerns, service utilization, and access to care. Twenty-six percent of survey respondents reported current mental health issues, including depression or anxiety. Focus group findings suggest that community members commonly attribute poor mental health to social, economic, and environmental factors, including poverty, lack of affordable housing, unemployment, immigration experiences, and aging. Mental health was also linked to physical health and was reported to impact self-care and to exacerbate other medical conditions. Focus group participants and key informants often reported that they saw significant value in the use of mental health services. However, care was often difficult to access because of long wait times, insurance restrictions, and persistent social stigma. The common contention, on the part of community members, that contextual factors are associated with poor mental health suggests a need to incorporate a broader determinants perspective within mental health services. Findings also indicate participants perceived a need for greater awareness and education to reduce the stigma associated with mental health issues. Current New York State programs to better integrate behavioral and supportive services with primary care, as well as New York City initiatives that more closely link mental health providers and community-based organizations, represent important efforts to potentially address these needs.
- Copyright:
- Reproduced with permission of the copyright holder. Further use of the material is subject to CC BY-NC-DC license. (More information)
- Extent:
- 1 online resource (1 PDF file (17 pages)) : illustrations.
- Illustrations:
- Illustrations
- NLM Unique ID:
- 101673336 (See catalog record)
- Permanent Link:
- http://resource.nlm.nih.gov/101673336