TY - JOUR
T1 - Racial/Ethnic Disparity Trends in Children's Mental Health Care Access and Expenditures From 2010-2017
T2 - Disparities Remain Despite Sweeping Policy Reform
AU - Rodgers, Caryn R.R.
AU - Flores, Michael William
AU - Bassey, Obioesio
AU - Augenblick, Jenna M.
AU - Cook, Benjamin Lê
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
PY - 2022/7
Y1 - 2022/7
N2 - Objective: To examine trends in mental health care use for Black and Latinx children and adolescents. Method: Data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey for 2010-2017 were analyzed to assess trends among youth ages 5-17 in use and expenditures for any mental health care, outpatient mental health care, and psychotropic medication prescription fills. Unadjusted trends for all youth and the subpopulation of youth reporting need for mental health care and disparities adjusting for need were examined. Results: Between 2010 and 2017, Black youth rates of any past year mental health care use decreased (from 9% to 8%), while White (from 13% to 15%) and Latinx (from 6% to 8%) youth rates increased. Among the subpopulation with need and in regression analysis adjusting for need, we identified significant Black–White and Latinx–White disparities in any mental health care use and any outpatient mental health care use in 2010-2011 and 2016-2017, with significant worsening of Black–White disparities over time. White youth were more than twice as likely as Latinx youth to use psychotropic medications, and Latinx–White and Black–White disparities in psychotropic medication prescription fills persisted over time. Black–White disparities existed in overall mental health expenditures (2016-2017) and outpatient mental health expenditures (2010-2011 and 2016-2017). Conclusion: Affordable, ubiquitous access to mental health care for Black and Latinx youth remains an elusive target. Significant disparities exist in receiving mental health care despite reforms and policies designed to increase mental health care access in the general population. Additional outreach and treatment strategies tailored to the cultural, linguistic, and structural needs of youth of color are required.
AB - Objective: To examine trends in mental health care use for Black and Latinx children and adolescents. Method: Data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey for 2010-2017 were analyzed to assess trends among youth ages 5-17 in use and expenditures for any mental health care, outpatient mental health care, and psychotropic medication prescription fills. Unadjusted trends for all youth and the subpopulation of youth reporting need for mental health care and disparities adjusting for need were examined. Results: Between 2010 and 2017, Black youth rates of any past year mental health care use decreased (from 9% to 8%), while White (from 13% to 15%) and Latinx (from 6% to 8%) youth rates increased. Among the subpopulation with need and in regression analysis adjusting for need, we identified significant Black–White and Latinx–White disparities in any mental health care use and any outpatient mental health care use in 2010-2011 and 2016-2017, with significant worsening of Black–White disparities over time. White youth were more than twice as likely as Latinx youth to use psychotropic medications, and Latinx–White and Black–White disparities in psychotropic medication prescription fills persisted over time. Black–White disparities existed in overall mental health expenditures (2016-2017) and outpatient mental health expenditures (2010-2011 and 2016-2017). Conclusion: Affordable, ubiquitous access to mental health care for Black and Latinx youth remains an elusive target. Significant disparities exist in receiving mental health care despite reforms and policies designed to increase mental health care access in the general population. Additional outreach and treatment strategies tailored to the cultural, linguistic, and structural needs of youth of color are required.
KW - Medical Expenditure Panel Survey
KW - children
KW - mental health care access
KW - mental health policy
KW - racial/ethnic disparities
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jaac.2021.09.420
DO - 10.1016/j.jaac.2021.09.420
M3 - Article
C2 - 34627995
AN - SCOPUS:85133980569
SN - 0890-8567
VL - 61
SP - 915
EP - 925
JO - Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
JF - Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
IS - 7
ER -