Ethiopian Immigrants in the US: The Implications of Perceived Public Mental Illness Stigma and Mistrust of Mental Health Providers for Mental Health Help-Seeking Intentions
Open AccessSince 1980, the Black immigrant population in the United States has more than tripled; however, research exploring the unique mental health needs and experiences of this diverse immigrant population has lagged considerably. The present cross-sectional online survey study examined the implications of perceived public mental illness stigma and mistrust of mental health providers for mental health help-seeking intentions among Ethiopian immigrants, a growing Black immigrant population in the US. The survey was offered in English and Amharic, Ethiopia’s national language, and participants were recruited from the general (vs. clinical) population of Ethiopian immigrants via social media and email distribution lists of various Ethiopian student and community organizations across the US. The sample consisted of 248 adult (Mage = 36.5, SD = 13.4) Ethiopian US residents. Hierarchical multiple linear regression was used to test partial and interaction effects of perceived public mental illness stigma and mistrust of mental health providers on mental health help-seeking intentions. Study findings indicated a significant negative relationship between mistrust and the outcome such that higher levels of mistrust were associated with lower mental health help-seeking intentions, t = −3.00, B = −0.23, p = .001. A significant effect of perceived public mental illness stigma on mental health help-seeking intentions was not observed. We also did not observe a significant interaction effect between stigma and mistrust on mental health help-seeking intentions. The present finding indicates that mistrust of mental health providers may contribute to lower intentions to use mental health services among Ethiopian immigrants. As such, conducting more research to better understand and mitigate systemic and socio-structural contributors to medical mistrust among Ethiopian immigrants may be fundamental to help bridge the gap between their mental health service need and utilization.
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