Mexican-American Perceptions of Severe Mental Illness

Abstract

In south Texas, Mexican-Americans make up a large part of the patient population in public psychiatric facilities. Changing demographic trends that increase the proportion of Hispanics across the United States suggested the relevance of a comprehensive assessment of the perceptions of mental illness and hospital treatment among families of Mexican-American psychiatric patients. Results indicate low levels of formal education and acculturation in respondents, accompanied by minimal knowledge about severe mental illness despite having lived with a relative who had been hospitalized several times. The study shows a great need for educational and preventive outreach programs presented in simple idiomatic Spanish to reach this population. Further, pervasive barriers due to rurality and low socio-economic status imply that cultural influences on perceptions of illness should not be overinterpreted.