| This study examined sociocultural predictors of mental health treatment utilization among a combined clinical and community sample of Black older adults experiencing depression, anxiety and/ or traumatic events. A secondary analysis of a cross-sectional study that investigated the prevalence of depression and the factors associated with it among African Americans, and Caribbean Blacks over the age of 55 living in New York City using binominal logistic regression analyses. The current study investigated how the sociocultural factors of ethnicity, mental health beliefs, ethnic identity, spirituality, and religiosity predicted utilization of formal and informal mental health treatment services. The findings highlight the significance of ethnicity, depression, mental health beliefs and spirituality as predictors of utilization of mental health services. Caribbean Black older adults underutilized mental health treatment services of any type. The current study suggests that attitudes and beliefs about mental illness and health practices is a factor that should been taken into account by clinicians when assessing, diagnosing, treating and trying to maintain adherence to services of older Black adults. |
