The Association of Nativity With Mental Health Treatments Among Asian and Latine Adults: NHANES 2011-2020.

Abstract

Objective: Immigrants are less likely to use mental health treatments than their U.S.-born counterparts despite demonstrated needs. Whether this pattern holds across specific treatments, including antidepressant use or seeing a mental health professional (MHP), is unknown. This study used a nationally representative sample of Asian and Latine adults to examine associations of nativity with engaging in any mental health treatment, past-month antidepressant use, and past-year MHP visit.

Methods: Cross-sectional analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2011-March 2020) examined 9,356 adults (mean age=47.5 years, 52.6% female, 71.8% foreign born) identifying as non-Hispanic Asian (N=3,259) or Latine (N=6,097).

Results: Logistic regressions controlling for demographic and health care access variables found that foreign-born (vs. U.S.-born) respondents had significantly lower odds of any treatment use (odds ratio [OR]=0.59, 95% CI=0.50-0.70), past-month antidepressant use (OR=0.57, 95% CI=0.45-0.73), and past-year MHP visit (OR=0.63, 95% CI=0.52-0.77). Among foreign-born groups, Asian (vs. Latine) respondents had significantly lower odds of using any treatment (OR=0.44, 95% CI=0.34-0.58) or seeing an MHP (OR=0.42, 95% CI=0.31-0.57) but not using antidepressants.

Conclusions: Foreign-born adults are less likely to use mental health treatments, including using antidepressants or seeing an MHP. Independent of nativity, Asian (vs. Latine) respondents were less likely to engage in all treatment types. Asian and Latine group differences in any treatment use and seeing an MHP were present among foreign-born respondents only, suggesting that these differences may be driven by nativity-related factors.