A causal model of public health administration, need for mental health care, and mental health status associated with mental health service utilization among Asian immigrant employees after ASEAN community’s policy

Abstract

Background One important outcome national and international migration is the development of economies and societies worldwide. A rapid change amongst Asian immigrant employees who were working and settling down in Thailand, especially, Burmese, Lao, and Cambodian was that it lead to poor physical health and mental health. It lead into an incremental need for a system of public health administration because of the difficulties in accessing both the health service and beneficial health information after ASEAN community’s policy. The aim of this research was to analyze a causal model of public health administration, the need for mental health care, and mental health status associated with mental health service utilization among Asian immigrant employees after ASEAN community’s policy. Methods This study was conducted using a cross-sectional survey with 400 Asian immigrant employees. They were Burmese (200 cases), Lao (100 cases), and Cambodian (100 cases) in 2017. Measures included general characteristics, public health administration, the need for mental health care, and mental health status associated with mental health service utilization. A causal model for mental health service utilization among Asian immigrant employees were verified using path analysis. Result s Public health administration, the need for mental health care, and mental health status in each group all have a direct effect on mental health service utilization. Public health administration among Asian immigrants employees following the ASEAN community policy had the most direct effect on mental health service utilization with a standardized regression weight of 0.758 (p-value < 0.01). The ASEAN community policy; a mediator of this research, also had a direct effect on mental health service utilization. Conclusion This research demonstrates that Public health administration was an important factor related to mental health service utilization among Asian immigrants employees following the ASEAN community policy. It also recommends using qualitative methods for further research among Asian immigrant employees who are from developing countries. Key words: Public health administration; Need for mental health care; Mental health status; Asian immigrant employees; Mental health service utilization Trial Registration Number: The Thai Clinical Trials Registry code, Thailand was TCTR20170713001.