All groups of people from varying ethnicities and backgrounds face disparities of some form. Although, many populations face harsher health disadvantages than others. In the United States, access to mental healthcare for Asian Americans is less than half that of other populations. It is important to remember that not all disparities are due to lack of resources or economic status. For many aggregate groups cultural belief shape healthcare and can cause what society would consider a disparity. In a 2020 study by Yang et al it concluded that Asian Americans perception of needing mental health services was 23.3% lower than that of white Americans. Much of this disparity is driven by cultural preferences that influence healthcare choice. Many Asian American practice a Buddhist belief which indicates that mental health disorders are due to a spiritual imbalance and therefor many people of this population will seek spiritual counsel before mental health care services.
Asian Americans associate mental health care with shame and will avoid treatment in fear of social stigma (Cheah et al.,2020). Despite the progress made in recent years to enhance access to mental health services and spread awareness several cultures still have a stigma against mental illness. Because of this stigma people suffering with anxiety, depression or any other mental health issue will often go untreated until the issue becomes acute requiring hospitalization or requiring immediate intervention. As an advanced practice nurse, the first step in helping this population is understanding that there may be cultural barriers that prevent different groups from seeking treatment. The provider should meet the patient where they are in terms of acceptance and willingness to develop an appropriate a realistic treatment plan.