Family Relations and History of Untreated Mental Issues Influence Treatment Decisions of African-Americans: Study

African-American citizens whose parents did not make use of mental healthcare system are more likely to follow the same trend, according to a study.

Studies have associated poor socio-economic status and background with low quality of life, health and well-being in Americans. Experts from the University of California in Los Angeles found mental illnesses and disorders that require extensive treatments are more prevalent among people from African- American communities. They believe this group of Americans rarely seek treatments and medical facilities and are mostly influenced by their family history of making use of mental-care system.

The researchers looked at the data of 3,000 African-Americans from the 2003 National Survey of American Life. These participants were surveyed to note their self-reported data on mental status, family history of mental and psychiatric disorders, use of treatment facilities and socio-economic standing.

Their analysis revealed less than 10 percent of the subjects approached doctors and psychiatrists in the previous year to treat mental issues. These people reportedly cited family pressures, lack of morale , financial and emotional support from family members as reasons for not being able to tap medical healthcare facilities.  The participants also complained of experiencing physical symptoms and impacts of emotional and mental troubles and were in desperate need of professional help.

In addition, the authors saw individuals with family history of untreated mental illnesses gave poor self ratings on mental health and needed more attention to improve mental well-being. More over, fear of social stigma and embarrassment prevented majority of African-Americans to openly address their mental ailments and consult psychiatrists.

"The reasons for this treatment disparity aren't clear. Many studies have examined structural factors that could be at play, including insurance and financial status, the supply of mental health services, or the availability of culturally competent care. The process of seeking help for mental health problems isn't just done by an individual," said Alice P. Villatoro, study author and former graduate at the University of California, Los Angeles in a news release.

The results emphasize people to find ways to strengthen family relations and interactions to minimize risk of mental diseases in this community.

"Family is important because they're the first point of contact. They're often the first people who recognize that there's a problem and can help problem solve about what the next steps will be, whether that's to push or pull someone away from treatment," said Michael Lindsey, researcher and an associate professor of social work at New York University.

More information is available online in the Journal of Health and Social Behavior.