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Mexican Americans comprise almost two-thirds of Hispanic Americans , with the remainder being of Puerto Rican, Cuban, South American , Central American , Dominican ...
The Hispanic/Latino American population is characterized by its rapid growth. Approximately 35.3 million people now self-identify as Hispanic Americans . The number is expected to increase to 97 million by 2050 nearly one-fourth of the U.S. population. Mexican Americans comprise almost two-thirds of Hispanic Americans , with the remainder being of Puerto Rican, Cuban, South American, Central American, Dominican, and Spanish origin.
Latinos are highly concentrated in the U.S. Southwest. 60% live in California, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Texas. However, from 1990 to 2000, the number of Latinos more than doubled in Arkansas (170%), North Carolina (129%), Georgia (120%), Nebraska (108%), and Tennessee (105%).
Overall, only 56% of Latinos 25 years-of-age and over have graduated from high school, compared to 83% of the total U.S. population. However, academic achievement varies considerably among Hispanic subgroups. 70% of Cuban Americans , 64% of Puerto Ricans, and 50% of Mexican Americans 25 years-of-age and over have graduated from high school.
The economic status of Hispanic Americans parallels their educational status. The poverty rates are 14% respectively for Cuban Americans , 31% for Puerto Ricans, and 27% for Mexican Americans , compared to 13.5% of all Americans .
Need for Mental Health Care
Generally speaking, the rate of mental disorders among Hispanic Americans living in the community is similar to that of non-Hispanic white Americans . However,
In 1997, Latinos had a suicide rate of about 6% compared to 13% for non-Hispanic whites. However, in a national survey of high school students, Hispanic adolescents reported more suicidal ideation and attempts proportionally than non-Hispanic whites and blacks.
High-Need Populations
Hispanics are relatively under-represented among people who are homeless or children in foster care. However, they are present in high numbers in other high-need populations.
People who are incarcerated. 9% of Hispanic Americans , compared to 3% of non-Hispanic white Americans , are incarcerated. Latino men are nearly four times as likely as white men to be imprisoned at some point during their lifetimes.
Vietnam War Veterans. Latinos who served in Vietnam were at higher risk for war-related post-traumatic stress disorder than were black and non-Hispanic white veterans.
Refugees. Many refugees from Central America experienced considerable civil war-related trauma in their homelands. Studies have found rates of post-traumatic stress disorder among Central America refugee patients ranging from 33 to 60%.
In 1990, about 40% of Hispanics either did not speak English at all or did not speak it well. While the percentage of Spanish-speaking mental health professionals is not known, only about 1% of licensed psychologists who are also members of the American Psychological Association identify themselves as Hispanic. Moreover, there are only 29 Hispanic mental health professionals for every 100,000 Hispanics in the United States, compared to 173 non-Hispanic white providers per 100,000.
Precise estimates of the use of complementary therapies by Hispanic Americans do not exist. One study found that only 4% of its Mexican American sample consulted a curandero, herbalista, or other folk medicine practitioner within the past year, while percentages from other studies have ranged from 7 to 44%. The use of folk remedies is more common than consultation with a folk healer, and these remedies are generally used to complement mainstream care.
Appropriateness and Outcomes of Mental Health Services
Few studies on the response of Latinos to mental health care are available. One randomized study found that members of low-income, Spanish-speaking families were more likely to suffer a significant exacerbation of symptoms of schizophrenia in highly structured family therapy than in the less structured case management. Several studies have found that bilingual patients are evaluated differently when interviewed in English as opposed to Spanish. One small study found that Hispanic Americans with bipolar disorder are more likely to be misdiagnosed with schizophrenia than are non-Hispanic white Americans .
One national study found that only 24% of Hispanics with depression and anxiety received appropriate care, compared to 34% of whites. Another study found that Latinos who visited a general medical doctor were less than half as likely as whites to receive either a diagnosis of depression or antidepressant medicine.
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