Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 20, 2026

Highlighting and Reducing the Impact of Negative Aging Stereotypes During Older Adults' Cognitive Testing
Published on: January 24, 2020
Factors Associated with American Indian Mental Health Service Use in Comparison with White Older Adults
Heehyul Moon1, Yeon-Shim Lee2, Soonhee Roh3
1Kent School of Social Work, University of Louisville, 2217 S 3rd St. Oppenheim Hall #210, Louisville, KY, 40292, USA. Heehyul.moon@louisville.edu.
Objective:
Our objective was to identify the factors that impact mental health service use among American Indian (AI) older adults living in South Dakota compared to their White counterparts.
Design And Methods:
Using a cross-sectional design with 735 participants (n = 502 Whites, n = 233 AIs), we used ordinal regressions to analyze the extent to which predisposing, need, and enabling/hindering factors predicted the level of mental health service utilization.
Results:
White older adults used more mental health services as compared with AI older adults. For both groups, more adverse childhood experiences along with prior negative experience with mental health service use were significantly related to an increased level of mental health service use. Compared to their White counterparts, AI older adults who reported a higher level of depressive symptoms, better self-perceived physical health, and a more positive attitude toward mental health services tended to use more mental health services.
Conclusions:
To reduce mental health disparities among AI older adults, community, local government, and academic partners should pay attention to how to encourage the use of mental health services to meet the unique needs of AI older adults.
Related Concept Videos
Stereotypes, Prejudice, and Discrimination
Factors Affecting Illness
For instance, risk factors are connected to illness,...
Surveys
Psychological and Sociocultural Causes of Schizophrenia
Pharmacodynamics in Geriatric Patients: Effects of Age
Community Based Intervention
Foundations of Community Mental Health Programs
Central to the success of community-based interventions is the...

