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Mental Health Service Use, Barriers, and Service Preferences During COVID-19 Among Low-Income Housing and Market-Rate Housing Residents of Harlem in New York City

Overview
Publisher Springer
Specialty Public Health
Date 2023 Dec 8
PMID 38066218
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Abstract

This study examined the differences in mental health service use, barriers, and service preferences among 393 low-income housing (LIH) and market-rate housing (MRH) Harlem residents in New York City. One-third (34.6%) endorsed the need for professional support for psychological issues, 27.2% and 15.8% reported using counseling services and psychotropic medication, with no differences between housing types. LIH residents (21.6-38.8%) reported significantly higher use of all types of mental health resources (e.g., websites, anonymous hotlines, self-help tools) compared with MRH residents (16.1-26.4%). Eighty-six percent reported barriers to mental health access, with LIH residents reporting more than double the barriers. Particularly, LIH residents reported greater difficulty getting time off work (34.1% vs. 14%), lack of health insurance (18.7% vs. 9.8%), lack of trust in mental health providers (14.6% vs. 4.7%), and stigma (12.2% vs. 5.1%) compared with MRH residents. Residents most preferred places of services were health clinics and houses of worship; provided by healthcare and mental health providers; and services delivered in-person and phone-based counseling. In contrast, residents least preferred getting support at mental health clinics; from family/friends; and by the Internet. No differences were found between service preferences by housing type. LIH residents reported higher use of mental health services and resources, but they face significantly more barriers to mental health care, suggesting a need to address specific barriers. Preferences for mental health services suggest a need for expanding mental health services to different settings given the low preference for services to be delivered at mental health clinics.

Citing Articles

A multisector community-engaged collaborative for mental health integration in primary care and housing developments: Protocol for a stepped-wedge randomized controlled trial (the Harlem Strong Program).

Ngo V, Vu T, Levine D, Punter M, Beane S, Weiss M BMC Public Health. 2024; 24(1):2554.

PMID: 39300414 PMC: 11414045. DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-20026-6.


Mental Health Concerns During COVID-19: An Observational Study Among a Predominantly Black Community in New York City.

Ngo V, Vu T, Punter M, Levine D, Mateu-Gelabert P, Borrell L J Racial Ethn Health Disparities. 2024; .

PMID: 38565763 PMC: 11445392. DOI: 10.1007/s40615-024-01988-0.

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