Cultural barriers related to seeking mental health services: A review of the literature

This literature review explored three barriers that prevent minority populations from seeking mental health services in the US. While there were many barriers three were outstanding, culture, stigma and language. Research in this area indicated that even as these barriers are being surmounted, others were omni present and were woven into the fabric of prevention like racism and socio-economic status. Education, access to services exposure to culturally competent clinicians and delivery systems were the major keys to reducing the barriers. The findings of the literature also show unfortunately that mental health stigma is still the barrier that prevents the greater majority of the ethnic populations from seeking services. The literature in this field had its limitations. First, most studies conducted in the US on this topic are becoming outdated. More recent studies pertaining to minority populations on a larger scale need to be added to the body of knowledge. Second many studies in the US are based upon descendants of Northern Europeans. Last, first generations of US born children of immigrants are leading the way and breaking down these barriers by utilizing mental health services and demanding that their needs be met. This will place a great burden on the current way we treat these minorities. There is hope however, the idea of cultural competency is sweeping the nation and if adopted, will become the gold standard of the future in social work when working with diverse cultural populations.