{"id":1563,"date":"2021-11-16T17:06:37","date_gmt":"2021-11-16T17:06:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thesocietypages.org\/worldsuffering\/?p=1563"},"modified":"2021-11-16T17:07:09","modified_gmt":"2021-11-16T17:07:09","slug":"inequality-and-access-to-mental-health-care","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thesocietypages.org\/worldsuffering\/2021\/11\/16\/inequality-and-access-to-mental-health-care\/","title":{"rendered":"Inequality and Access to Mental Health Care"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Image: A black woman sits on the floor, leaning against a sofa<\/em>, in a low-lit room. Her head is in her hands, obscuring her face. Courtesy of pixabay,<\/a> Pixabay License<\/a><\/em>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Originally published April 1, 2021<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recent sociological research <\/a>documents a broad-based increase in mental health treatment-seeking in the United States. Access to such care remains unequal, however, presenting  real and persistent challenges to those in need. Sociologists, and other social scientists, offer important information about these inequalities and the barriers to equitable mental health care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over the past few decades there has been growing concern that people are being \u201covertreated\u201d for mental health issues given increasing rates of mental health treatment and diagnosis in the population. Nevertheless, there are still many people with mental health conditions who are being \u201cundertreated.\u201d Specifically, there are large gaps between the number of people who have a diagnosable disorder and the number of people who actually receive treatment, particularly for serious mental health issues such as schizophrenia or substance abuse disorder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n