2015 APHA Annual Meeting & Expo

Home Events & Meetings Annual Meeting Schedule & Program

Recorded Annual Meeting Presentations (RAMP) are now available for purchase.
Only $90 for presenters, $140 for registered attendees and $200 for non-attendees.

Online Program

334080
Racial and ethnic disparities in access to nearby behavioral health care and primary care


Monday, November 2, 2015

Lynn VanderWielen, PhD, MPH, Department of Family Medicine, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO
Molly Nowels, MA, Department of Family Medicine, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO
Emma Gilchrist, MPH, Department of Family Medicine, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO
Stephanie Kirchner, MSPH, Department of Family Medicine, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO
Shandra Brown-Levey, PhD, Department of Family Medicine, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO
Benjamin Miller, PsyD, Department of Family Medicine, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO
Background: Racial, ethnic and geographical health disparities have been widely documented in the United States. However, little attention has been directed towards disparities associated with integrated behavioral health and primary care services.

Methods: Access to behavioral health professionals among primary care physicians was examined using multinomial logistic regression analyses with 2010 National Plan and Provider Enumeration System, American Medical Association Physician Masterfile, and American Community Survey data.

Results: Primary care providers practicing in neighborhoods with higher percentages of African Americans and higher percentages of Hispanics were less likely to have geographically proximate behavioral health professionals. Primary care providers in rural areas were less likely to have geographically proximate behavioral health professionals.

Conclusion: Neighborhood level factors are associated with access to geographically proximate behavioral health and primary care. Additional behavioral health professionals are needed in these environments to improve integrated and collaborative primary care.

Learning Areas:

Diversity and culture
Other professions or practice related to public health
Provision of health care to the public
Public health or related public policy

Learning Objectives:
Describe the need for integrated behavioral health and primary care. Evaluate the role of neighborhood level factors such as percentage of populations groups and geography on access to geographically proximate behavioral health professionals among primary care providers.

Keyword(s): Mental Health System, Vulnerable Populations

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been a project manager and evaluator on federal grants and state contracts focused on primary care and behavioral health integration. My work aims to advance the field of integration from operational, financial, and clinical perspectives.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 3216.1: Poster #4A // Primary Care and Vulnerable Populations