Mental Healthcare Disparities: A Longitudinal Test of Barriers to Seeking Behavioral Healthcare from Primary Care Physicians- "OVPR CURATE Program"

The proposed study sought to determine how the key barriers of stigma and lack of trust interact to stop people from seeking behavioral healthcare from their primary care physician (PCP) when they are psychologically distressed.

The proposed study sought to determine how the key barriers of stigma and lack of trust interact to stop people from seeking behavioral healthcare from their primary care physician (PCP) when they are psychologically distressed.

Respondents’ Time 1 trust in doctors, but not their degree of trust in their specific PCP, was a significant predictor of who sought help from their PCP for a mental health concern over the subsequent 3-week period (as assessed at Time 2). In turn, while Time 1 stigma was not predictive of Time 2 trust in doctors, Time 1 stigma was predictive of Time 2 trust in their specific PCP. Gender and race moderate findings such that certain forms of trust and stigma are more or less important depending on the population in question.