Perceived mental healthcare barriers and health-seeking behavior of African-American caregivers of adolescents with mental health disorders.

This study explores African-American caregiver perceptions of barriers to mental health care for adolescents with mental health disorders. We sought to understand how these perceptions influence African-American caregiver mental health-seeking behavior. This qualitative study utilized semi-structured interviews using a grounded theory approach to identify common themes describing experiences of African-American caregivers accessing mental health care for their adolescents. Previous caregiver experiences with mental illness, perceptions of social support, early intervention by educators and extrinsic behavior requiring medication compliance affected caregiver decision-making. Stigma associated with mental illness was a potential barrier to access to mental health care. Financial barriers that prevent access to care and an overall belief that mental health may not be as important as other issues was not identified as affecting health-seeking behaviors for mental health care. Caregivers who struggled with mental health issues themselves recognized these in adolescents and sought mental healthcare services. Caregiver previous experiences with mental healthcare services influenced their decision-making. Healthcare provider ability to engage adolescents, caregivers, and support systems increases the possibilities for positive experiences and continuation of treatment. PMID: 30917089 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Source: Issues in Mental Health Nursing - Category: Nursing Tags: Issues Ment Health Nurs Source Type: research