Mental Health Treatment Engagement Among Deaf Individuals.

OBJECTIVE

Members of the U.S. Deaf community experience higher rates of mental health problems than do hearing individuals, but empirical data on Deaf people's treatment engagement are lacking. This cross-sectional study analyzed novel mixed-methods data on Deaf adults' current mental health symptoms, treatment engagement, and past treatment experiences.

METHODS

Seventy-one Deaf adults recruited from across the United States completed screening assessments on the videoconferencing platform Zoom.

RESULTS

Although 63% (N=45) of participants screened positive for one or more current mental health problems, only 31% (N=14) of those individuals were engaged in treatment. Participants reported multiple barriers to treatment engagement, including communication incompatibilities, limited culturally appropriate options, confidentiality concerns, and perceived ineffectiveness of treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Results suggest significant treatment disparities for Deaf adults. Strategies are needed to overcome the barriers they encounter, including increasing the number of Deaf providers, training providers to work with Deaf patients, and developing interventions to assist Deaf individuals in modifying their beliefs about treatment and problem-solving the barriers to treatment seeking.