By Dr. Courtney Ferrell Aklin
Chief of Staff, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities
Editor's note: Colors of Influence presents an excerpt from an opinion piece originally posted on the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities blog.
Demographic trends in the United States have continued to change rapidly. Projections indicate that within the next 30 years, the majority of the United States will be non-White.
Among the racial and ethnic groups that will make up the majority, there is significant heterogeneity, making healthcare delivery even more challenging. Mental illness is one of the most prevalent health problems in the United States and one of the most taxing on the healthcare system.
In addition, mental illness carries the highest disease burden among all diseases, with devastating effects on daily functioning; personal, social, and occupational impairment; and premature death if left untreated. One in 10 children and one in five adults are affected by mental illness.
Mental illness does not discriminate. It occurs in all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups and is the leading cause of disability in the United States. However, two thirds of individuals with a diagnosable mental health disorder do not seek treatment.4 Most ethnic minorities have similar prevalence rates of mental health issues to those of Whites, but they have less access to mental health services, are less likely to seek and receive needed care, and, when they do receive it, are more likely to get poorer-quality care. This combination of disparities leads to racial and ethnic minorities having a higher proportion of unmet mental healthcare needs compared with majority populations..
In 1999, health disparities in mental health were highlighted in the Surgeon General’s report on mental health. Dr. David Satcher, former U.S. Surgeon General, called on all Americans to educate themselves and challenge the stigma, attitudes, fear, and misunderstanding that remain barriers to truly addressing mental illness. In 2008, in an effort to sustain dialogue on mental health in minority populations, the U.S. House of Representatives established July as National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month.
Read more on the NIMHD blog
Editor's note: Colors of Influence presents an excerpt from an opinion piece originally posted on the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities blog.
 |
| Dr. Courtney Ferrell Aklin |
Among the racial and ethnic groups that will make up the majority, there is significant heterogeneity, making healthcare delivery even more challenging. Mental illness is one of the most prevalent health problems in the United States and one of the most taxing on the healthcare system.
In addition, mental illness carries the highest disease burden among all diseases, with devastating effects on daily functioning; personal, social, and occupational impairment; and premature death if left untreated. One in 10 children and one in five adults are affected by mental illness.
Mental illness does not discriminate. It occurs in all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups and is the leading cause of disability in the United States. However, two thirds of individuals with a diagnosable mental health disorder do not seek treatment.4 Most ethnic minorities have similar prevalence rates of mental health issues to those of Whites, but they have less access to mental health services, are less likely to seek and receive needed care, and, when they do receive it, are more likely to get poorer-quality care. This combination of disparities leads to racial and ethnic minorities having a higher proportion of unmet mental healthcare needs compared with majority populations..
In 1999, health disparities in mental health were highlighted in the Surgeon General’s report on mental health. Dr. David Satcher, former U.S. Surgeon General, called on all Americans to educate themselves and challenge the stigma, attitudes, fear, and misunderstanding that remain barriers to truly addressing mental illness. In 2008, in an effort to sustain dialogue on mental health in minority populations, the U.S. House of Representatives established July as National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month.
Read more on the NIMHD blog