The Urgent Need For Mental Health Care In Underprivileged Communities

Mental health is more than just an afterthought; it’s a critical aspect of overall wellbeing. However, there seems to be a disconnect between the people and the mental health resources. Lack of mental health resources can be attributed to various factors, including lack of funding, lack of trained professionals, and even stigma.?

While the mental health epidemic affects people of all income and education levels, it disproportionately affects underprivileged communities.?

In this article, we will discuss the challenges and barriers underprivileged communities face as well as the opportunities to improve when it comes to mental health care.

Racial and Ethnic Minority Groups

In the United States, racial and ethnic minorities account for a significant proportion of the population. Despite this, these communities have less access to health care, and the treatment offered is sometimes of lesser quality than that accessible to white people.

According to reports, racial-ethnic prejudice or misdiagnosis of psychotic symptoms limits access to appropriate therapy, which can significantly impact how this group of people recovers from mental illnesses.

People in these categories are also less likely to seek mental health therapy, and they are more likely to discontinue treatment early. They are more prone to need psychiatric emergency services, be taken into custody by law enforcement for emergency care, and be hospitalized involuntarily. They are less likely to obtain regular outpatient treatment following release, despite using emergency services and inpatient facilities.?

According to studies, culturally competent therapeutic interventions in patients with diverse sociocultural backgrounds may help address racial prejudice in the diagnostic formulation and lead to more suitable treatment recommendations. Culturally sensitive interventions can also help minimize perceived stigma, increase treatment-seeking, increase treatment duration, and improve outcomes for people from racial and ethnic minority groups.

Sexual and Gender Minority Groups

According to Human Rights Campaign (HRC), an estimated 20 million U.S. adults identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender.??

Individuals who belong to this group have historically been confronted with several stressors, including prejudice, discrimination, and stigma, which increase the risk of developing severe mental illnesses. Compared to the general population, they have a higher prevalence of depressive episodes, drug use, and suicidal thoughts.?

However, there is mounting evidence that mental health services for LGBTQ+ people are limited and that those that are offered are often insufficient and stigmatizing.

These findings point to the need to promote sexual and gender identity training for mental health treatment practitioners and increase cultural competency. Reduced stigma, particularly in mental health facilities, would also result in a more sensitive, accepting, and understanding atmosphere, allowing more LGBTQ+ patients to seek treatment.

Economically Disadvantaged Populations

People living in poverty are twice as likely to experience a severe mental illness as those who are not. The contributing factors to this trend include stress, loneliness, unemployment, and a lack of access to basic human needs like shelter and food.

According to statistics, 70% of the uninsured population is poor. While the Affordable Care Act (ACA) reduces the likelihood of this group being unable to afford mental health care, lowers barriers to accessing treatments, and lessens the time it takes to seek help, the gap is yet to be closed.

Conclusion

Mental health is an urgent issue not just in the United States but also worldwide.?

Everyone should have access to mental health services whenever they need them, but the current system does not allow for this. The lack of resources, including mental health professionals and appropriate treatments, means that many people are unable to receive much-needed care.?

It is becoming increasingly clear that we need to make changes to our mental health system.

The World Health Organization (WHO) predicts that by 2030, depression will be the second leading cause of disability worldwide. If we continue to ignore the importance of mental health in our schools, workplaces, and communities, we could be facing more than an economic crisis — we could be facing a societal breakdown.