County Context and Mental Health Service Utilization by Older Hispanics

Although older Hispanics experience high rates of depression, they tend to underuse mental health services. The study examined the association between county characteristics and mental health service use among older Hispanics, controlling for individual characteristics.

The study used the 2008-2012 Medical Expenditure Panel Study and linked county-level data from the 2013-2014 Area Health Resources Files and the 2008-2012 Chronic Conditions Data Warehouse, using the Federal Information Processing Standard county code. The sample includes 1,143 community-dwelling Hispanics ages 60 years or older (Level 1) and 156 counties (Level 2) where the sample resides. The single dichotomous measure of mental health service utilization was based on whether or not the respondent met one or more of three conditions: (1) the respondent received care from a mental health professional, (2) received a service including mental health counseling or psychotherapy, or (3) received a service that was related to the International Classification of Diseases. Multilevel logistic regression analysis was used to examine the role of county context.

The proportion of older adults and the existence of community mental health centers at the county-level were associated with mental health services use among this population. At the individual-level, education and mental health status were also associated with using mental health services.

The county context plays an important role in understanding mental health services use among older Hispanics, indicating the need for intervention strategies at the county level.