Differential Use of Mental Health Services by Race and Ethnicity in Prison

Research in community settings indicates that Black persons are less likely to receive mental health treatment than White persons. Research on whether these disparities persist in prisons is limited and fails to include other racial and ethnic groups, such as Latino persons. This study examines racial and ethnic differences in the use of mental health services among incarcerated persons. Using the 2016 Survey of Prison Inmates, logistic regression assessed the effects of race/ethnicity among those receiving mental health treatment while incarcerated. Results suggest Black and Multiracial/Other incarcerated persons were 15.8% and 15.0% more likely to participate in treatment than White incarcerated persons, respectively. No significant difference between Latino incarcerated persons and White incarcerated persons was found. The differences between racial/ethnic groups and participation in mental health treatment found in this study suggest that more attention needs to be paid to diversity in the accessibility of treatment in prisons.