Patient Perceptions of Mental Health at a Student-Run Free Clinic
Background: Depression is more prevalent in Hispanic populations living in the U.S., with longer treatment duration, higher rates of relapse and medication non-adherence, and less initiation of depression treatment compared to non-Latino white populations. It has been shown that decreased stigma is associated with increased utilization of mental health resources. The goal of our study was to obtain data about patient perceptions of mental health at 12th Street Health and Wellness center, an interprofessional student run free clinic in Little Rock, Arkansas, which serves a largely uninsured and Spanish-speaking population.
Methods: REDCap surveys including demographic information, mental health treatment history, and four stigma scales were distributed to patients on clinic owned iPads. This project utilized the Perceived Discrimination Devaluation (PDD), the Stigma Concerns About Mental Health Care (SCMHC), the Latino Scale for Antidepressant Stigma (LSAS), and the Social Distance scale (SD). The PDD and SCMHC range from 0 – 3 and the LSAS ranges from 0 – 14, with higher scores correlating with increased stigma. The SD scale ranges from 0 – 12 with lower scores correlating with increased stigma.
Results: Our preliminary data showed that of the 51 patients who completed the survey, 7 stated that they either currently or previously received some form of mental health treatment and 26 self-identified as Hispanic or Latino. The non-Hispanic averages were 1.10 on PDD, 0.64 on SCMHC, 4.64 on LSAS, and 9.64 on SD. The Hispanic averages were 1.08 on PDD, 0.42 on SCMHC, 5.04 on LSAS, and 9.15 on SD.
Conclusion: The lower scores on the PDD and SCMHC within the Hispanic group indicate lower stigma. However, the higher score on the LSAS and lower score on the SD within the Hispanic group indicate higher stigma. Further data will be collected and analyzed with a t-test to determine the statistical significance of results.
Discussion: Our preliminary data showed conflicting information about the correlation between mental health stigma and Hispanic ethnicity. A possible explanation is that each scale demonstrates different types of stigmas. The PDD and SCMHC relate to the perceived opinion of others, while the SD and LSAS assess personal perception of antidepressants and individuals with mental health conditions. Potential confounding factors include poor literacy and avoidance due to the sensitivity of the topic. Identifying areas of stigma could guide community outreach in the future and improve the mental health services that the 12th Street Health and Wellness Center offers.