Mental and Behavioral Health - Hispanics

  • The death rate from suicide for Hispanic men was four times the rate for Hispanic women, in 2018.
  • However, the suicide rate for Hispanics is less than half that of the non-Hispanic white population.
  • In 2019, suicide was the second leading cause of death for Hispanics, ages 15 to 34.1
  • Suicide attempts for Hispanic girls, grades 9-12, were 30 percent higher than for non-Hispanic white girls in the same age group, in 2019.
  • In 2018, Hispanics were 50 percent less likely to have received mental health treatment as compared to non-Hispanic whites.
  • Poverty level affects mental health status. Hispanics living below the poverty level, as compared to Hispanics over twice the poverty level, are twice as likely to report serious psychological distress.

MENTAL HEALTH STATUS

Serious psychological distress in the past year among adults 18 years of age and over, percentage, 2019
HispanicNon-Hispanic WhiteHispanic / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
12.212.71.0

SAMHSA, 2020. Results from the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Mental Health Detailed Tables. Table 10.43B


Serious psychological distress in the past 30 days among adults 18 years of age and over, percentage of poverty level, 2015-2016*
HispanicNon-Hispanic WhiteHispanic / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
Below 100%6.812.10.6
100% - less than 200%4.17.60.5
200% - less than 400%2.63.10.8

Source: CDC, 2018. Health United States, 2019. Table 46.
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus17.pdf [PDF | 10.22MB]


Percentage of population with feelings of sadness, hopelessness, worthlessness, or that everything is an effort, all or most of the time, among persons 18 years of age and over, 2018
HispanicNon-Hispanic WhiteHispanic / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
Sadness4.22.61.6
Hopelessness3.42.21.5
Worthlessness2.62.31.1
Everything is an effort7.56.61.1

Source: CDC 2021. Summary Health Statistics: National Health Interview Survey: 2018. Table A-7.
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis/shs/tables.htm


Percentage of population with serious psychological distress among persons 18 years of age and over, 2018
Hispanic Non-Hispanic WhiteHispanic / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
Men3.52.81.3
Women5.54.81.1
Total4.63.81.1

Source: CDC 2021. Summary Health Statistics: National Health Interview Survey: 2018. Table A-8.
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis/shs/tables.htm

DEATH RATES

Age-adjusted death rates for suicide, by sex, race and Hispanic origin, 2018
HispanicNon-Hispanic WhiteHispanic /Non-Hispanic White Ratio
Male12.128.60.4
Female2.88.00.4
Total7.418.10.4

Source: CDC 2021. National Vital Statistics Report, Vol. 69, No. 13. Table 10.
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr69/nvsr69-13-508.pdf [PDF | 2MB]


Death rates for suicide, age, race and Hispanic origin, 2018: Men
Hispanic MenNon-Hispanic White MenHispanic / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
15-24 years16.227.30.6
25-44 years15.835.80.4
45-64 years14.039.50.4
65 years and over15.038.20.4
All ages12.128.60.4

Source: CDC, 2021. Health United States, 2019. Table 9.
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/2019/009-508.pdf


Death rates for suicide, age, race and Hispanic origin, 2018: Women
Hispanic WomenNon-Hispanic White WomenHispanic / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
15-24 years4.16.70.6
25-44 years4.410.40.4
45-64 years3.213.00.2
65 years and over1.66.30.3
All ages2.88.00.4

Source: CDC, 2021. Health United States, 2019. Table 9.
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/2019/009-508.pdf [PDF | 10.22MB]

ADOLESCENTS

Death rates for suicide: Ages 15 - 19, 2019
HispanicNon-Hispanic WhiteHispanic / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
Male11.618.30.6
Female3.65.70.6
Total7.612.20.6

Source: CDC, 2021. National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Web Based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS) [Accessed 04/21/2021]
https://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/index.html


Suicidal ideation among students in grades 9–12, 2018 Percentage of students who seriously considered suicide
HispanicNon-Hispanic WhiteHispanic/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio
Men11.413.80.8
Women22.724.30.8
Total17.219.10.9

Source: CDC 2021. High School Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data. [Accessed 04/21/2021]
https://nccd.cdc.gov/youthonline.


Suicidal ideation among students in grades 9–12, 2018 Percentage of students who attempted suicide
HispanicNon-Hispanic WhiteHispanic/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio
Men5.56.40.9
Women11.99.41.3
Total8.97.91.1

Source: CDC 2021. High School Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data. [Accessed 04/21/2021]
https://nccd.cdc.gov/youthonline.

ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE

Percentage of adults age 18 and over who received mental health services in the past year, 2019
HispanicNon-Hispanic WhiteHispanic/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio
Total9.719.80.5

SAMHSA, 2020. Results from the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Mental Health Detailed Tables. Table 8.17B
https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2019-nsduh-detailed-tables


Percentage of Adults age 18 and over who received prescription medications for mental health services, 2019
HispanicNon-Hispanic WhiteHispanic/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio
Total7.316.60.4

SAMHSA, 2020. Results from the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Mental Health Detailed Tables. Table 8.37B
https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2019-nsduh-detailed-tables


Percentage of adults age 18 and over with past year major depressive episode who received treatment for the depression, 2019
HispanicNon-Hispanic WhiteHispanic/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio
58.070.20.8

SAMHSA, 2020. Results from the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Mental Health Detailed Tables. Table 8.39B
https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2019-nsduh-detailed-tables

* NOTE: This is the most recent national data that is available at this time.


1CDC. National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS). [Accessed 04/21/2021]. https://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/index.html