Racial/ethnic disparity trends in children's mental health care access and expenditures from 2002 to 2007.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To examine trends in disparities in children's mental health care.

Data

2002-2007 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey.

Study design

We used the Institute of Medicine (IOM) definition of health care disparities and estimated two-part expenditure models to examine disparity trends in any mental health care use, any outpatient care, and psychotropic drug use, as well as expenditures in these three categories, conditional on use. We used 2-year longitudinal panel data to determine disparities in care initiation among children with unmet need.

Principal findings

Assessing trends over time between 2002 and 2007, we identified that disparities persist for blacks and Latinos in receipt of any mental health care, any outpatient care, and any psychotropic drug use

SUBMITTER: Le Cook B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3449047 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature