Use of Professional and Informal Support by African Americans and Caribbean Blacks With Mental Disorders

Objectives-This study investigated the use of professional services and informal support among African Americans and Caribbean Blacks with a lifetime mood, anxiety, or substance disorder.Methods-Data were from the National Survey of American Life (NSAL).Multinomial logistic regression was utilized to test the use of professional services only, informal support only, both, or no help at all.Analyses controlled for sociodemographic characteristics, disorder-related variables, and family network variables.Results-The analytic sample included 1,096 African Americans and 372 Caribbean Blacks.Fortyone percent used both professional services and informal support, 14% relied on professional services only, 23% used informal support only, and 22% did not receive help.There were no significant differences in help-seeking between African Americans and Caribbean Blacks.Having co-occurring mental and substance disorders, a severe 12-month disorder, more people in the informal helper network, and being female increased the likelihood of receiving help from both professional services and informal supports.When men did receive help they were more likely to rely on informal helpers.Marital status, age, and socioeconomic status were also significantly related to help-seeking.Conclusions-The significant proportion of black Americans with a mental disorder who are relying on informal support alone, professional services alone, or receiving no help at all suggests potential unmet need among this group.However, the reliance on informal support for assistance may also be evidence of a strong protective role that informal networks play in the lives of African Americans and Caribbean Blacks.