Intersectionality Within Women’s Mental Health Stigmas
While still considering the effects of intersectionality on woman’s mental health in the medical field, these facts become significant: “A large proportion of individuals suffering from mental illness do not seek professional help. This is especially true of ethnic minority populations, who are underrepresented in mental health care settings.” (Alvidrez) Jennifer Alvidrez from the Community Mental Health Journal goes on to say, “Epidemiological studies show that ethnic minority and low socioeconomic status (SES) individuals perceive more instrumental barriers to using services, such as lack of insurance, time, and transportation, than European American and higher SES individuals. Removing economic barriers improves service utilization in ethnic minority groups.” (Alvidrez) This alone would be a crucial step in creating a relaxed mindset within different minority groups of women especially that the ability to receive appropriate mental health is feasible. However, there is also a widespread stigma within minority groups as the nature of mental illness and treatement. As Alvidrez explains,
“People who believe that mental illness is highly stigmatizing are not likely to voluntarily seek professional help for psychiatric problems. There is some evidence that psychiatric disorders may have greater stigma attached to them in ethnic minority populations. In a college student sample, Silva de Crane and Spielberger (1981) found that compared to Whites, Blacks and Latinos held more negative views of mental illness, for example, that mentally ill individuals were morally inferior or should be isolated from others. Social class also appears to be important. Low-income and less educated individuals are more likely to express concern about the reactions of friends and family if they got help for psychiatric problems than are middle class and more educated individuals.” (Alvidrez)
This not only exemplifies the issues that may dissuade minority groups of women from seeking mental health aid, but allows for a possible direction in terms of a solution.