NCJ Number
228798
Journal
Trauma, Violence, and Abuse Volume: 10 Issue: 4 Dated: October 2009 Pages: 358-374
Date Published
October 2009
Length
17 pages
Annotation
This article presents a literature review examining available evidence on the sociocultural, behavioral, and organizational barriers to assessing and using mental health services among minority women with histories of intimate partner violence (IPV).
Abstract
Key points of this research review include: (1) limited research on the barriers in receiving mental health care for ethnically diverse women; (2) barriers to utilization of mental health care defined using a framework related to the patient, the clinician, and the health care system/community; (3) areas involving an individual's sociopolitical stance, cultural values, and financial status play a major role in the utilization of mental health care for intimate partner violence (IPV) affected, ethnically diverse women; and (4) clinicians can create barriers to receiving mental health care based on their practice setting and their tendencies to discriminate against those of ethnic minority origin. These literature review findings have important implications for community outreach and education, policy, and systems changes, and the need for additional research to improve practice and outcomes. Ethnically diverse populations of women, particularly survivors of IPV, experience many barriers to mental health care. This literature review identifies a number of barriers to mental health care access for IPV affected, ethnically diverse women that are related to patients, clinicians, and broader health care delivery systems. Figures, table, and references