Ethnic differences in treatment outcome for children and young people accessing mental health support

Abstract

Children and Young People (CYP) from minoritized ethnic backgrounds experience structural inequalities in Children and Young People’s Mental Health Settings (CYPMHS). This mixed methods study explores whether CYP’s ethnicity is associated with their treatment outcomes (operationalised as ‘measurable change’) from CYPMHS. A multilevel multi-nominal regression analysis, controlling for age, gender, referral source, presenting difficulty, case closure reason, suggests that CYP from Asian backgrounds (OR = 0.82, CI [0.70, 0.96]) and Mixed-race (odds ratio (OR) = 0.80; 95% CI [0.69, 0.92]) are less likely to report measurable improvement in mental health difficulties compared to White British CYP. Three themes from a thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with 15 CYP from minoritized ethnic backgrounds focused on views and experiences of ending mental health support are also presented. CYP view personalised support and the right therapist as conducive to good endings and valued a range of outcomes pertaining to empowerment. Experiences of stigma and inequalities may begin to explain the less positive outcomes experienced by Asian and Mixed-race CYP found in the regression analysis. The implications of these findings and future areas of research are suggested.

The experiences and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Young Carers: practice implications and planning for future health emergencies

“…This is particularly important as currently pathways into mental health services for minority ethnic young people are more likely to be from youth justice or social care settings and therefore compulsory in nature (Edbrooke-Childs & Patalay, 2019) which may cause stigma, remove choice and empowerment and lead to worse health outcomes (Ruphrect-Smith et al, 2023).…”

“…Given the importance of some specialist third sector organisations in supporting and building strong relationships with Young Carers, consideration should be given to developing pathways for Young Carers into services, with special attention being paid to Young Carers with intersectional characteristics, such as those who are from minority backgrounds. This is particularly important as currently pathways into mental health services for minority ethnic young people are more likely to be from youth justice or social care settings and therefore compulsory in nature (Edbrooke-Childs & Patalay, 2019) which may cause stigma, remove choice and empowerment and lead to worse health outcomes (Ruphrect-Smith et al, 2023).…”

Employee Well-being in the Spotlight: The Role of HR in Mental Health Support

“…This support encompasses various initiatives designed to create a mentally healthy work environment and address the challenges associated with stress, anxiety, and other mental health issues [17]. Strategies may include access to counseling services, stress management programs, mental health awareness campaigns, and flexible work arrangements that accommodate employees' mental health needs [18]. Organizations recognize the importance of fostering a workplace culture that prioritizes mental health, not only as a means of supporting individual employees but also as a strategy for enhancing overall productivity and employee satisfaction [19].…”