Effective Prevention Strategies for Increasing Health Services Utilization Among Hispanic Youth

Abstract

The study purpose is to address the underutilization of mental health services among Hispanic youth. This article provides professionals with strategies to increase health services utilization by utilizing a framework of the levels of prevention model, with an emphasis on primary prevention. The following questions were explored: (1) What are primary prevention strategies that can assist school professionals? (2) What are secondary prevention strategies and tertiary prevention strategies school professionals can employ to increase the utilization of health services? Implementing primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention strategies may improve Hispanic youth's overall mental health, academic achievement, and quality of life.

Hispanic Mothers' Experiences with School-Based Emotional Health Curriculum and Perspectives of Their Own Mental Health Needs

“…The results suggest that these mothers accepted the EHC and embraced this school-based prevention program as an accessible community mental health service for their children. Our findings are consistent with recent calls for using school-based preventive programs to increase mental health service utilization for Hispanic children (Merianos et al, 2017).…”

“…To address the mental health challenges faced by Hispanic children and adolescents, school-based early prevention programs have been proposed as an essential strategy to reduce socio-economic and stigma barriers to access mental health services (Merianos, Vidourek, & King, 2017;Werner-Seidler, Perry, Calear, Newby, & Christensen, 2016). A recent meta-analysis found a positive effect of school-based universal cognitive behavioral therapy programs for preventing both depression and anxiety in children and adolescents (Werner-Seidler et al, 2016).…”

“…The results showed that the EHC had the positive impact of reducing student-reported depression and anxiety and teacher-reported depression as well as the EHC was accepted by both (students and teachers) (in progress). Research shows that family support or participation in these school-based mental health programs enhance the impact of those interventions that focus on the children in terms of engagement, retention, and responses (Kapke & Gerdes, 2016;Merianos et al, 2017). Therefore, to promote parent's future involvement in our preventive program we examined the perspectives of Hispanic mothers whose children had attended the EHC.…”

School factors and anxiety disorder among Hispanic youth: Results from the 2016 US National Survey on Children’s Health

“…Since the Hispanic population is projected to increase by 45% by 2050 (Colby & Ortman, 2015), additional research is needed to elucidate the mechanisms of school climate on the development of anxiety disorders among Hispanic youth. Additionally, the Hispanic population is twice as likely to seek mental health care in non-clinical settings (Merianos, Vidourek, & King, 2017), making the school a prime target for possible treatment of anxiety disorders. Furthermore, many adolescents and youth report not feeling safe in school and other research is warranted into specific risk factors for anxiety (Thapa et al., 2013).…”

Process Evaluation of Training Model for School-Based Mental Health

“…The observed underutilization of mental health services among youth has pointed to the need for more innovative approaches for service delivery. In the context of youth mental health care, embedding mental health services in school settings holds promise in increasing their utilization of mental health services (Merianos, Vidourek, & King, 2017). Improving the quality of services and overall mental health outcomes for youth in under-resourced communities compels schools and communities to respond to the unique barriers that impede their ability to access services.…”