Mental Health Service Utilization Among Diverse Youth
Summary
Mental health service utilisation among young people from diverse backgrounds is shaped by a complex interplay of individual, familial, cultural and systemic factors. Disparities in access and engagement arise from socioeconomic inequities, cultural stigma and variable availability of age-appropriate and culturally sensitive interventions. Intersectional identities—including ethnicity, migration status, gender identity and sexual orientation—further influence patterns of help-seeking and uptake of support. Research highlights barriers such as limited health insurance coverage, language obstacles, mistrust of providers and inadequate referral pathways, alongside facilitators including family endorsement, school-based services and digital platforms. A growing body of work emphasises the importance of culturally competent care, early identification in community and educational settings and the potential of remote or technological solutions to enhance reach in under-served populations. Effective service delivery requires coordinated efforts across health, education and social sectors, with attention to structural determinants and the inclusion of youth voices in the design of interventions.
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Mental Health Service Utilization Among Diverse Youth publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in mental health service utilization among diverse youth across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Andersen Behavioural Model: A conceptual framework specifying how predisposing, enabling and need factors influence individuals’ use of health services.
Acculturation: The process by which individuals adopt cultural traits or social patterns of another group, affecting health beliefs and help-seeking behaviours.
Cultural competence: The ability of service providers to recognise and respond effectively to the cultural and linguistic needs of clients.
Service utilisation: The pattern and frequency with which individuals engage with health and social care services.
References
- Scoping review on mental health standards for Black youth: identifying gaps and promoting equity in community, primary care, and educational settings. Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health (2024).
- Uses of Andersen health services utilization framework to determine healthcare utilization for mental health among migrants—a scoping review. Frontiers in Public Health (2023).
- Mixed-Methods Examination of Adolescent-Reported Barriers to Accessing Mental Health Services. Journal of Adolescent Health (2023).
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