When it comes to an individual and their struggles with mental health, intersectionality (as mentioned in a previous article) is a critical element that cannot be disregarded. In other words, we must recognize that everyone experiences their own unique set of mental health struggles based on their background. And today, this brings us to examine one such background: being Latinx (i.e. being of Latin American origin/descent).
In the US, Hispanic/Latinx adults tend to experience more and/or a stronger array of barriers to quality mental health care than the average American. According to NAMI (the National Alliance on Mental Illness) and as cited in Forever Blooming’s episode on this topic, “Approximately 34% of Hispanic/Latinx adults with mental illness receive treatment each year compared to the US average of 45%.” Strong stigma against mental health in the Latinx community is a clear contributing factor, but before diving into this, it’s important to understand some of the other significant causes of the mental health treatment disparity.
In our episode on “Defining the Latinx Experience,” while mental health stigma was named as a key barrier, cultural misunderstanding and the high cost of mental health care were also mentioned. Adding onto that, NAMI lists language barriers and legal status as other possible contributors. An example of how cultural differences could be a barrier can be found in the following: “...[S]omeone might describe what they are feeling with a phrase like ‘Me duele el corazón.’ While this literally means ‘my heart hurts,’ it is an expression of emotional distress — not a sign of chest pain.” It’s important to note that a language barrier may not just exist between English and Spanish but other, less recognized Latinx languages/dialects as well, such as Quechua and Nahuatl.
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But now, to focus on the stigma in the community, let’s first turn to what was mentioned in Forever Blooming’s episode. Our featured guest and social media coordinator, Melodie Hernandez, discussed how she has heard comments about depression or anxiety not being real, how mental health was something “never properly addressed in [her] community,” and how one could be labeled as “lazy” if even taking some time off of work. These instances of mental health stigma led her to be hesitant about telling friends/being vulnerable about mental health, and in fact, it was to the point where she went through intense emotions while feeling that she couldn’t talk about them.
To elaborate on this, the rigid, patriarchal gender structure in many Latin American societies also seems to play into mental health stigma. According to a 2016 comprehensive review of 26 mental health studies in Latin America and the Caribbean, “[W]omen may be more stigmatized if they lose their capacity to fulfill family roles, and men may hide their psychiatric diagnosis and refuse to attend mental health services to avoid losing status and the ability to work.” The researchers further noted that tight familial structures amongst Latinx individuals can be the source of crucial emotional assistance but on the flip side, a key source of discrimination for those struggling with their mental health, especially if they’re observed “as persons that may fail to meet their 'family obligations.'” A value in Latinx cultures known as “familismo” may be what is responsible for such an attitude.
Very similar to what was mentioned by Melodie, an article from NAMI reads, “People in the Hispanic/Latinx community can often be very private and may not want to talk publicly about challenges at home… [T]alking about it can be viewed as taboo… Some people do not seek treatment for mental illness out of fear of being labeled as ‘locos’ (crazy) or bringing shame…”
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Furthermore, barriers to quality mental health treatment don’t only have negative implications for the health of Latinx individuals but also for societal development. According to The World Bank, mental and neurological disorders, which “account for almost a quarter of the disease burden in Latin America and the Caribbean[,]” significantly impact productivity, and barriers to treatment can help perpetuate and even worsen cycles of poverty/inequality.
So, for the ultimate question: How do we remove –or start to remove– the barriers to quality mental health care for those in the Latinx community? Some that were mentioned in our episode were more open-mindedness, less mental health stigma, and education. The Cleveland Clinic suggests the following: “[r]emoving the language barrier,” “[c]ollaborating with primary care physicians (PCPs)”, “[e]ncouraging family involvement,” “[o]ffering sensitive, culturally competent treatment,” and “[e]ducating about the physiologic roots of mental illness.” Firstly on the language barrier issue, a couple of solutions that came to my mind were employing greater amounts of translators at health clinics, embedding foreign languages such as Spanish into more school curriculums (as it is for my high school), and maybe even bringing some advanced technology (e.g. AI translating systems) into the mix. On the second issue, the Cleveland Clinic references how “Latinos with a mental health concern are twice as likely to consult a PCP rather than a mental health provider,” which was also mentioned in our episode. The family involvement solution references the same thing brought up in the 2016 review cited above –that family bonds/relationships tend to be strong in the Latinx community. The fourth suggestion was made in close observance of the importance of culture as well, and the fifth –education– is central to any confrontation of mental health stigma.
In conclusion, the Latinx community is a diverse one that faces unique challenges when it comes to mental health. Understanding the culture and how the community fits into a broader society is crucial to confronting the barriers they face to quality mental health treatment. The solution is not going to come easy and probably not going to be fast, but together, we can truly make a difference for the better.
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