The Influence of Stigma and Views on Mental Health Treatment Effectiveness on Service Use by Age and Ethnicity: Evidence From the CDC BRFSS 2007, 2009, and 2012

The purpose of this study is to conduct a cross-cultural comparison of perceived public stigma of mental health and views on mental health treatment effectiveness and their effects on service use among the U.S. adult population of White, Black, and Hispanic ethnic backgrounds. The pooled data came from the 2007, 2009, and 2012 Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey, which included unweighted sample sizes of 149,344 Whites, 11,156 Blacks, and 11,072 Hispanic adults aged 55 years old or older. For both 55 to 64 and 65+ age groups, White respondents were most likely to hold greater perceived public stigma. Middle-aged Hispanic adults also showed high levels of perceived public stigma, though not as high as White counterparts. Hispanic adults of both age groups had the least favorable views on the effectiveness of mental health treatment. Among Whites and Hispanics who were not psychologically distressed, unfavorable views on treatment effectiveness significantly reduced the likelihood of seeking mental health services. Given age and ethnic differences in perceived public stigma and views on mental health treatment effectiveness, future efforts aimed at combating stigma should be tailored around various factors for effective intervention strategies.