National treatment utilization among racially and ethnically diverse patients with PTSD

Research suggests that racial/ethnic minoritized individuals have elevated risk for experiencing trauma and developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) but are less likely to utilize mental health treatment compared to their non-Hispanic White counterparts. However, possessing health insurance may mitigate these disparities. We investigated this issue using a subsample of data obtained from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions-III (N = 2,339), to estimate the likelihood of utilizing PTSD-specific and general mental health treatment among a racially/ethnically diverse sample of individuals diagnosed with PTSD. Insurance status was included as a moderating factor. Across racial/ethnic groups, insured individuals had more than twice the odds of utilizing PTSD-specific and general treatment than those without insurance. Black, Hispanic, and Asian/Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander participants were significantly less likely to utilize PTSD-specific and general mental health treatment regardless of insurance status. These findings can inform targeted public health interventions to address mental health care disparities.