1. Response to these two post.
This article focuses on mental illness stigma in Hispanic or Latino individuals with the usage of the new Spanish version of the Beliefs Towards Mental Illness scale (BTMI). The BTMI is an assessment tool to collect and measure mental illness stigma consisting of a 21-item evaluation of the stereotypical negative views of psychological illnesses. This assessment tool focuses on four factors: embarrassment, dangerousness, incurability, and social dysfunction. Each item is answered with a response ranging from 0: completely disagree to 5: agree entirely. If the scores are at the higher end, it means that there is more stigma towards mental illness (Hirai et al., 2021).
According to Hirai et al. (2021), 67% of Hispanic individuals suffer from mental illnesses, and 44% of those have a more serious mental illness that goes untreated. It is estimated that the US Latino or Hispanic population will grow from 18% to 27.5% by 2060. It is a leading concern of a mental illness crisis in the US. One of the main contributors that reduces mental illness treatment is the stigma it receives from various countries such as Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Central and South American countries. Cultural beliefs also have a significant impact on mental illness stigma (Hirai et al., 2021).
In the article “Beliefs about mental illness in a Spanish-speaking Latin American Sample”, it discusses a strategy to help reduce the stigma and motivate individuals to seek treatment with the creation of the Spanish stigma assessment tool, S-BTMI (2021). This Spanish version of the tool would help individuals who are not English speakers, have limited English fluency, or prefer to read in Spanish. Having this tool in their native language will provide a more accurate understanding and comprehension of what Spanish speakers think and believe about mental illness. Therefore, the researchers, Hirai et al. (2021), collected 351 Latino or Hispanic English-Spanish bilingual undergraduate psychology students from a state university in Texas. The mean age was 22.5 years old, with 86 males and 265 females. The S-BTMI made multiple changes prior to implementing the assessment to the students. Various resources and tools were used to have the most appropriate Spanish version of BTMI. The participants took the assessment in both Spanish and English (Hirai et al., 2021).
After the participants took the online assessments, it was noted that the incurability section had over 15% responses, slightly to completely agreeing with an overall average of a neutral response. The average slightly agreed with dangerousness, while over 15% slightly to completely agreed. The average slightly disagreed on social dysfunction, while 34% slightly to completely agree. In the last section, embarrassment mostly disagreed, and 6.5% of the participants slightly to completely agree. The researchers concluded that 6-34% agreed with the psychological illness stigma beliefs. The results were the same in both the English and Spanish versions. Therefore, the assessment suggests that the results might be primarily culturally guided and less of a language effect. The S-BTMI also provided an effective longitudinal invariance over the two-week interval, concluding that the S-BTMI is a reliable test that can be retested at different times over a timespan. Therefore, it verified that the S-BTMI is an acceptable evaluation of the different levels of stigma over a time interval. The S-BTMI may reduce the stigma and behaviors that have negatively impacted mental illness disorders with this well-grounded tool (Hirai et al., 2021).
Regardless of the results, the introduction of the S-BTMI is a crucial development for the Hispanic or Latino population with mental illnesses. This tool is a significant step in addressing and reducing mental health stigma in the Spanish-speaking community, providing reassurance and confidence in the potential for improved understanding and overall well-being, thereby encouraging and motivating the community.
Discuss my experience and opinions related to the info found in the article
In Hispanic or Latino culture, mental illnesses can be a complex topic to speak about. People tend not to believe in it, or in other instances, it is considered abnormal for someone to have a mental illness. I remember pre-operating with an older lady from El Salvador. I was reviewing her past medical history and asked her if she had any mental illnesses. She denied having any. I went on to ask her about her current medications at home. She denied taking any anti-depressant medications. However, according to her medical records, we had depression listed in her past medical history and an anti-depressant medication that was prescribed to her. The patient’s daughter, who plays a crucial role in her mother’s care, voiced that the patient did have depression and was currently taking her anti-depressant medication. I informed the patient that the more honest she is with us, the better we can care for her. We are not here to criticize; we are here to help. The availability of a Spanish version of the BTMI is a significant step forward. It will enable us to gather objective data, which can be challenging due to language barriers. The S-BTMI will play a crucial role in providing tailored care for the Hispanic or Latino population with psychological disorders, offering hope for improved mental health outcomes.
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The article “Attitudes Towards Evidence-Based Practice in Substance Use Treatment Programs Serving American Indian Native Communities” details a research study that addresses the attitudes of employees using evidence-based practice in substance use disorder treatment centers. Evidence-based practices are required in substance use disorder treatment facilities to receive government funding and to encourage good quality care. The attitudes of employees serving populations of American Indians and Alaskan Natives (AIAN) were compared against those who served non-AIAN populations (Moullin et al., 2019). 307 out of 445 treatment centers serving AIAN populations were eligible to participate in the research study. One hundred ninety-two counselors and supervisors from 192 programs participated. For the non-AIAN sample, 329 out of 364 substance use disorder treatment (SUDT) program employees participated. This study found that employees of SUDT agencies serving an AIAN population showed less favorable attitudes toward adopting and using EBP compared to non-AIAN-serving SUDT facilities. Cultural and contextual differences in service settings and client populations may have led to these findings. AIAN cultural norms and preferences were not considered when EBPs were developed. The results suggest that initiatives promoting more culturally sensitive policies and EBP adaptation are needed (Moullin et al., 2019). The study recommends that EBP in substance use treatment programs become more useable for patients and clinicians by providing evidence that can be combined with context and professional expertise. This study also highlights the potential of intervention mapping and participatory action research to improve the development and adaptation of SUDT interventions, inspiring the audience with the possibilities for improvement in the field of behavioral health. Provider attitudes and the quality of EBPs need to improve. Additional research is needed to evaluate the reasons for attitudes towards EBP in different cultures. Research may help to develop appropriate interventions, methods of adaptation, and implementation strategies needed to improve outcomes in behavioral health services (Moullin et al., 2019).
I worked in the behavioral health setting from 2001 through 2007, but my experience did not include the AIAN population. My substance use treatment and behavioral health experience included protocols and interventions that were not tailored to individuals. No cultural considerations were included in the care plan for patients at my facility. The article enlightened me that EBPs exist in all forms of healthcare, including behavioral health. The article also reinforces that cultural differences can affect every aspect of a person’s healthcare experience.
