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Essay on Women and Acculturation
Because of shifts in the US population, by the year 2010, approximately 33% of the US population is expected to be Asian/Pacific Islander, African American, Native American, or of Hispanic origin. Higher levels of poverty and relatively lower levels of education among ethnic/racial minority groups may place some members of those groups at significant risk for mental health problems.
In addition, cultural and language barriers and lack of awareness by primary care physicians in identifying mental illness, especially for ethnic/racial minorities, make it difficult for some to access the US health care systems. Low rates of health care insurance among minorities are complicating factors. There is a serious gap between the need for mental health and substance abuse treatment and their accessibility or availability to minorities.
- Primary care physicians are less likely to detect mental health problems among African American and Hispanic patients than among whites.
- Women who are poor, on welfare, less educated, unemployed and from ethnic/racial minority populations are more likely to experience depression.
- Ethnic/racial minorities were less likely to receive treatment for depression in 1997. Of adults who received treatment, 16% were African American, 20% Hispanic, and 24% white.
- Ethnic/racial minorities were less likely to receive treatment for schizophrenia in 1997. Of adults who received treatment, 26% were African American, 39% were white; figures for Hispanics were
HISPANICS
- Hispanics and Puerto Ricans have high prevalence of illicit drug use, heavy alcohol use, alcohol dependence, and need for drug abuse treatment.
- More than 40% of all Hispanic women in the US with AIDS contracted it through injecting drugs.(Pat,1997)
The independent and interactive effects of acculturation status and family cohesiveness on a series of psychosocial and medical risk factors of pregnancy among 500 women of Hispanic origin. In general both higher and lower levels of acculturation produced positive or negative psychosocial and healthcare.....
