Research Questions, Phenomenon, Variables and Hypotheses

Factors Influencing Utilization of Mental Health Services in South Texas Kehinde Alli Dr. John Johnson December 10, 2021

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Purpose Statement

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study is to examine how mental health providers describe influencing factors among south Texas residents to utilize or reject mental health services.

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Literature Review: Background to the Problem/Define the Need/Gap

To research and understand the factors affecting decisions not to utilize Mental Health Services

Mental disease stigmatization

Worrying about privacy of their health problem

High expenses of mental health treatment

Causes of the issue

Having no medical care insurance

Being afraid that another individual might know.

Concerns of the mental health facilities failing to meet hygiene standards.

Lower income earnings makes it had to get mental health services

Solving the issue

Stigma reduction

Educating people on mental health

Creation of Awareness

Augsberger, Yeung, Dougher, & Hahm (2015). Analyzed the hidden barriers to accessing care and utilization of mental health for Asian American Women in Southern Texas

Hamilton, Desai, Hoot, Gearing, Jeong, Meyer, & Begley (2016). Reviewed and analyzed how the likelihood of lower hospitalization was associated with the race of African Americans while increasing age was a key predisposing factor in increased likelihood of hospitalization in South Texas.

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Problem Statement

It is not known how mental health providers in South Texas describe the factors that influence utilization of mental health services

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Literature Review: Theoretical Foundations

The theoretical model for the research gap is the Cognitive theory of Psychopathology by Aaron T. Beck. The theory states that individual perception is influenced by positive and negative mental health status (DeYoung & Krueger, 2018).

This model fits directly into the dissertation because it is helpful at describing how individual’s perceptions of situations including spontaneous thoughts on events influence people’s emotional, behavioral, and psychological reactions in relations to mental health services. Furthermore, this theory connects to the study of mental health utilization through the concepts of perception.

According to Steele et al. (2017) the LBGT community’s beliefs about utilizing mental health services conforms to an identity that is not agreed upon. In their view, an individual’s perception grows into the belief that supports non-utilization of mental health services.

DeYoung, C. G., & Krueger, R. F. (2018). A cybernetic theory of psychopathology. Psychological Inquiry, 29(3), 117-138. doi:10.1080/1047840x.2018.1513680

Steele, L. S., Daley, A., Curling, D., Gibson, M. F., Green, D. C., Williams, C. C., & Ross, L. E. (2017). LGBT identity, untreated depression, and unmet need for mental health services by sexual minority women and trans-identified people. Journal of Women’s Health (Larchmont, N.Y. 2002), 26(2), 116-127. doi:10.1089/jwh.2015.5677

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Research Questions, Phenomenon, Variables and Hypotheses

Research Questions

RQ1: How do mental health providers describe the factors influencing utilization of mental health services?

RQ 2: How do mental health providers describe strategies of encouraging patients to utilize mental health services?

RQ 3: How do caregivers describe the factors influencing patient’s utilization of mental health services?

RQ4: How do caregivers describe strategies of encouraging patients to utilize mental health services?

De Luca, Blosnich, Hentschel, King, & Amen (2016). Mental Health Care Utilization: How Race, Ethnicity and Veteran Status are Associated with Seeking Help. Retrieved from https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10597-015-9964-3

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Population, Target Population, and Sample

Population:

United States Mental Health Providers.

Target Population:

mental health providers who are members of the Mental Health Association in South Texas.

Sample:

Sample participants will come from Southern Texas, United States.

12 mental health providers will be selected as the sample group.

Questionnaire: Minimum of 40

Interviews: Minimum of 12 Mental Health providers

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Methodology

Qualitative study.

The methodology will be utilized to assist in offering actual evidences from the interview with participants. Previous studies show that the main cause of low use of services of mental health is the limitations of getting access to medical care (Augsberger, Yeung, Dougher, & Hahm, 2015).

Data collection operations will be performed using interviews and questionnaires to collect accurate information.

Information will be acquired to map the behavior of people who seek health care relating to mental health.

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Design

Descriptive Study

It is the suitable design since it provides data that is given by mental health providers who interact with patients in this field. It makes the information presented reliable and valid.

Literature review agrees with the argument that there is under usage of mental health resources. The State has a risk of having mentally ill people who have no access to care they require (Hamilton, Desai, Hoot, Gearing, Jeong, Meyer, & Begley, 2016).

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Instruments and Data Sources: Qualitative Study

Interviews and questionnaires will be used to gather information. The information will be collected by taking notes, making recordings and documenting the responses from questionnaires.

The main participants would be mental health providers who are members of mental health association who would be available for the interviews.

Information gathered will be summarized using Descriptive Statistics.

Questions posed will be addressed through coding.

A narrative summary will be developed.

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Instruments and Data Sources: Qualitative Study (cont.)

Collection of data that would be used will comprise of:

Acquiring a list of mental health providers who are members of Mental Health Organizations including:

Mental Health America (MHA)

National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI)

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Survey monkey will be used to collect data

Questions will be developed in part from:

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Mental Health Questionnaire

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Mental Health Quality Measures Questionnaire

Twelve Mental Health Providers would be selected to complete the NIEHS and the AHRQ Questionnaires

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References

American Psychological Association (2020) Cognition is central to drug addiction. Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/monitor/jun01/cogcentral

Augsberger, A., Yeung, A., Dougher, M., & Hahm, H. C. (2015). Factors influencing the underutilization of mental health services among Asian American women with a history of depression and suicide. BMC Health Services Research, 15(1), 542. doi:10.1186/s12913-015-1191-7

Basu, S., Rehkopf, D. H., Siddiqi, A., Glymour, M. M., & Kawachi, I. (2016). Health behaviors, mental health, and health care utilization among single mothers after welfare reforms in the 1990s. American Journal of Epidemiology, 183(6), 531-538. doi:10.1093/aje/kwv249

Boardwalk Recovery (2019). Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Substance Abuse. Retrieved from https://boardwalkrecoverycenter.com/cognitive-behavioral-therapy-for-substance-abuse/

Blosnich, J. R., Marsiglio, M. C., Gao, S., Gordon, A. J., Shipherd, J. C., Kauth, M., . . . Fine, M. J. (2016). Mental health of transgender veterans in U.S. states with and without discrimination and hate crime legal protection. American Journal of Public Health (1971), 106(3), 534-540. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2015.302981

De Luca, S. M., Blosnich, J. R., Hentschel, E. A. W., King, E., & Amen, S. (2015). Mental health care utilization: How race, ethnicity and veteran status are associated with seeking help. Community Mental Health Journal, 52(2), 174-179. doi:10.1007/s10597-015-9964-3

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References (cont’d.).

References

Hamilton, J. E., Desai, P. V., Hoot, N. R., Gearing, R. E., Jeong, S., Meyer, T. D., . . . Gerson, L. W. (2016). Factors associated with the likelihood of hospitalization following emergency department visits for behavioral health conditions. Academic Emergency Medicine, 23(11), 1257-1266. doi:10.1111/acem.13044

Hom, M. A., Stanley, I. H., & Joiner, T. E. (2015). Evaluating factors and interventions that influence help-seeking and mental health service utilization among suicidal individuals: A review of the literature. Clinical Psychology Review, 40, 28-39. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2015.05.006

LARSON, Z. (2018). America’s Long-Suffering Mental Health System. Retrieved from http://origins.osu.edu/article/americas-long-suffering-mental-health-system

Tala, A. (2017). Healthline: Exercise Benefits Children Physically and Mentally. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health-news/exercise-benefits-children-physically-and-mentally#1

Velten, J., Lavallee, K. L., Scholten, S., Meyer, A. H., Zhang, X., Schneider, S., & Margraf, J. (2014). Lifestyle choices and mental health: A representative population survey. BMC Psychology, 2(1), 58. doi:10.1186/s40359-014-0055-y

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