Ethnic mental health service utilization among low-income pregnant and postpartum women.

Format:

Book

Thesis/Dissertation

Author/Creator:

Song, Dayoung.

Contributor:

Sands, Roberta G., advisor.

University of Pennsylvania.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Ethnology--Research.

Political planning.

Women's studies.

Social service.

Mental health.

0347.

0452.

0453.

0630.

0631.

Penn dissertations--Social welfare.

Social welfare--Penn dissertations.

Local Subjects:

Penn dissertations--Social welfare.

Social welfare--Penn dissertations.

0347.

0452.

0453.

0630.

0631.

Physical Description:

197 pages

Contained In:

Dissertation Abstracts International 61-03A.

System Details:

Mode of access: World Wide Web.

text file

Summary:

The purpose of this study was to explore the use and patterns of mental health treatment among low-income women during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Despite public concern about maternal mental health, little research has examined the factors that affect help-seeking behavior among low-income women during the perinatal period. This research assessed the differences in mental health service utilization among Medicaid-eligible White, African American, and Hispanic perinatal women, employing the conceptual framework of Andersen and Newman (1973). Specifically, the present study examined whether ethnic differences persisted in mental health service utilization even after controlling for predisposing, enabling, and need factors. Four types of mental health service utilization were analyzed: (1) use versus non-use, (2) psychiatric hospitalization or not, (3) contact with specialty mental health sector versus general medical sector, and (4) number of outpatient visits for psychiatric treatment. The analysis was based on secondary administrative data, and used logistic and Ordinary Least Square (OLS) regressions.

The analysis identified a number of ethnic patterns in mental health service utilization. For the publicly insured population, African American and Hispanic perinatal women showed significantly lower probability of mental health service use than Whites. Among the treated population, no ethnic differences were identified in psychiatric hospitalization. Ethnic minorities were more likely to have contact with the specialty mental health sector. There were no ethnic differences in the average number of ambulatory outpatient visits. However, ethnic patterns in the number of outpatient visits occurred when the analysis differentiated service site. Among those who were treated in the general medical sector, Whites made more visits than their counterpart ethnic minorities. In comparison, no ethnic differences exist in the number of visits among those in the specialty mental health sector. Overall, this study found that need factors made the strongest contribution to mental health service utilization patterns.

The findings of this research have implications for the planning of mental health services for perinatal low-income, minority women. Several suggestions are offered for program planning for various community members as well as for promoting women's mental health, especially during the perinatal period.

Notes:

Thesis (Ph.D. in Social Welfare) -- University of Pennsylvania, 2000.

Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 61-03, Section: A, page: 1165.

Supervisor: Roberta G. Sands.

Local Notes:

School code: 0175.

ISBN:

9780599701878

Access Restriction:

Restricted for use by site license.