Minorities in US Treated Less for Behavioral Disorders Than White Americans

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration report says that racial and ethnic minorities in the United States are treated lass for behavioural disorders than white Americans.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Racial and ethnic minorities in the United States are treated lass for behavioural disorders than white Americans, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration said in a report.

“Among adolescents aged 12-17 experiencing a major depressive episode, approximately four in ten (41.6 percent) of white adolescents received treatment for depression in the past year prior to being surveyed, while only 36.9 percent of Hispanic or Latino adolescents, and 28.6 percent of Black adolescents received treatment,” the report, issued on Wednesday, said.

Individuals who are 18 or older and do not have health insurance were more likely to have a serious mental illness in the past year than adults who had health insurance at 5.9 percent versus 3.9 percent respectively, according to the report.

Moreover, the report said non-insured adults were less likely to receive mental health treatment or counselling in the past year at 50.6 percent than 73.5 percent of adults who had health insurance.

Minorities comprised 38 percent of the US population in 2014.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration is a US Department of Health and Human Services agency that leads public health efforts to push for the behavioral health of the United States, according to the agency’s website.