Barriers and Bridges: Mental Health Access for Low-Income Latino Men in the U.S

Mental health has become a highly prevalent aspect of society. This field has focused on various aspects of the social determinants of health and their impact on one's mental and physical well-being. Mental health is often described as the capacity to think, feel, act productively, cope, and contribute to society. It is also referred to as the lack of mental illness. Different theories, such as psychological, sociological, and biological, have been explored to gather multiple perspectives on mental health, but there are very few concrete definitions of mental health, making it difficult to have precise and exclusive definitions in research. This thesis explores the intersectionality of socioeconomic status, gender, and race on accessibility to mental health programs, specifically accessibility for low-income, Latino men. Understanding accessibility to mental health programs is vital to improving the parts of society that may be underserved and underprivileged. This population faces compounded barriers to mental health services due to intersecting ethnic and class dynamics. Prior research has found that race, gender, and socioeconomic status are important factors that have a profound and layered impact on mental health. There are policy reforms that can alleviate the mental health burden of marginalized communities, allowing for more financial assistance and culturally competent care. Racial and ethnic groups experience higher rates of mental health disorders, while also having lower access to care.