Hispanic and Latine/a/o/x

*Researchers and community members have varying opinions on which term best identifies this demographic group. Therefore, the terms used in this section to identify this community will align with the research sources from which the information was obtained.

As of 2023, Hispanic or Latino Texans have outnumbered all other ethnic groups, making up about 40 percent of the Texas population.1 Texas has the third largest Hispanic and Latino population by percentage in the country, after New Mexico and California.2 Addressing the mental health and substance use of Texas citizens must take the unique cultural and social perspectives of this population into consideration, given its substantial size relative to other ethnic groups in the state.

Behavioral health and substance use trends vary across different Hispanic/Latine/a/o/x subgroups. For instance, Puerto Rican American men and women tend to consume the most alcohol among Hispanic Americans.3 U.S.-born Hispanics report higher rates of psychiatric disorders and substance use than recent immigrants.4 Further, suicide rates among the Latine demographic have increased 29 percent from 2012 to 2020, with LGBTQ+ Latine youth being 22 percent more likely to attempt suicide than their non-Latine peers.5

Hispanic/Latinx community members are less likely to seek mental health support.6 Only 1 in 20 Hispanic/Latinx individuals receive mental health services from a trained specialist, utilizing these services at a rate of two to four times lower than white counterparts.7,8 Cultural factors contribute to how Latine individuals, families, and communities discuss – or remain silent about – behavioral health and substance use issues.9 The cultural barriers or stressors affiliated with low rates of seeking mental health care include the following:

  • Stigma surrounding mental illness is a prevalent barrier in this community, where seeking psychological help is often seen as a sign of weakness and tied with feelings of shame and embarrassment.10,11 Many fear being labeled as loco (“crazy”) and worry about bringing negative, unwanted attention to their families.12
  • Machismo, which refers to ideologies that promote manliness/hypermasculinity that pressures Hispanic men to suppress emotional vulnerabilities and encompass qualities such as bravery and dominance.13,14
  • Privacy and trust contribute to the negative stigma around mental health, as individuals often understand their health to be a private matter and are unwilling to trust an outsider with that information.15
  • Acculturation impacts those who have migrated or are children of immigrant families.16 This process is stressful as these individuals often face social stigma associated with their minority status as well as pressures to adjust rapidly to a new sociocultural context.17
  • Identity formation and family conflict involve the struggle to balance their cultural heritage with U.S. culture, often manifesting into an identity that feels split between two worlds.18
  • Immigration status influences a person’s hesitation to seek professional services out of fear of deportation.19

*It is important to note that not all Hispanic or Latina/o/e/x individuals in Texas are recent immigrants. Moreover, mental health trends differ between those who have recently immigrated and those who are second or third-generation Americans.

Additional structural or societal obstacles to attaining behavioral health services for Hispanic and Latinos include:

  • Experiences of racism and discrimination stemming from historical inequities;
  • Language access issues, and negative encounters with care providers;
  • Lack of insurance or inadequate insurance;
  • Hispanic Texans are more than twice as likely as white Texans to be living below the poverty level;
  • A lack of providers from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds; and
  • Shortage of culturally competent resources and providers to meet cultural, social, and language-related needs.20,21,22

Despite these obstacles, Hispanic individuals benefit from certain cultural protective factors or “curative effects” that can enhance positive mental health by fostering feelings of community, belonging, and well-being.23 Familism promotes strong family bonds and support systems, manifesting a strong allegiance to their primary network of support.24,25 Additionally, involvement with cultural traditions and practices helps to reduce feelings of marginalization while increasing sentiments of community connectedness.26

References

  1. U.S. Census Bureau. (2022). Quick Facts: Texas. Retrieved from https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/TX/INC910222 ↩︎
  2. Cervantes, S. (2024, October 10). Data brief: Hispanic Heritage month 2024. Retrieved from https://everytexan.org/2024/10/08/data-brief-hispanic-heritage-month-2024/#:~:text=With%20more%20than%2012%20million,%2C%20economic%2C%20and%20political%20landscapes ↩︎
  3. American Addiction Centers. (2024, February 7). Substance Abuse Statistics for Hispanic Americans. https://americanaddictioncenters.org/addiction-statistics/hispanic-americans ↩︎
  4. American Psychiatric Association. (2017). Mental Health Disparities: Hispanics and Latinos. Retrieved from https://www.psychiatry.org/File%20Library/Psychiatrists/Cultural-Competency/Mental-Health-Disparities/Mental-Health-Facts-for-Hispanic-Latino.pdf ↩︎
  5. Hispanic/Latino Behavioral Health Center of Excellence. (2024). Culturally Attuned, Community-Centered Approaches: Understanding Suicidality among Latine Communities. Retrieved from https://hispaniclatinobehavioralhealth.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Suicide-Inforgraphic-V5-ENGLISH.pdf ↩︎
  6. American Psychiatric Association. (2017). Mental Health Disparities: Hispanics and Latinos. Retrieved from https://www.psychiatry.org/File%20Library/Psychiatrists/Cultural-Competency/Mental-Health-Disparities/Mental-Health-Facts-for-Hispanic-Latino.pdf ↩︎
  7. Ibid. ↩︎
  8. Forcén, F. E., Flórez, M. C., Medina, R. B., Zambrano, J., Pérez, J. H., Rodríguez, A. M., & Santos, L. H. (2023). Deconstructing cultural aspects of mental health care in Hispanic/latinx people. Psychiatric Annals, 53(3), 127–132. https://doi.org/10.3928/00485713-20230215-02 ↩︎
  9. Senor-Rogés, E., Orobitg, D. (2024). Depression and Suicide Among Latine Youth: Addressing Cultural Stressors and Nurturing Cultural Strengths. Retrieved from https://hispaniclatinobehavioralhealth.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Suicide-Depression-Fact-Sheet-HLBHCoE-1.pdf ↩︎
  10. Alayza, M. (2024, October 16). Beyond the Celebrations: Tackling Mental Health in Hispanic Communities. Retrieved from https://laopinion.com/2024/10/16/beyond-the-celebrations-tackling-mental-health-in-hispanic-communities/ ↩︎
  11. National Alliance on Mental Illness. (2024b). Hispanic/Latinx. Retrieved from https://www.nami.org/your-journey/identity-and-cultural-dimensions/hispanic-latinx/ ↩︎
  12. Ibid. ↩︎
  13. Forcén, F. E., Flórez, M. C., Medina, R. B., Zambrano, J., Pérez, J. H., Rodríguez, A. M., & Santos, L. H. (2023). Deconstructing cultural aspects of mental health care in Hispanic/latinx people. Psychiatric Annals, 53(3), 127–132. https://doi.org/10.3928/00485713-20230215-02 ↩︎
  14. Nuñez A, González P, Talavera GA, Sanchez-Johnsen L, Roesch SC, Davis SM, Arguelles W, Womack VY, Ostrovsky NW, Ojeda L, Penedo FJ, Gallo LC. (2016). Machismo, Marianismo, and Negative Cognitive-Emotional Factors: Findings From the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos Sociocultural Ancillary Study. J Lat Psychol. (4):202-217. Doi: 10.1037/lat0000050 ↩︎
  15. National Alliance on Mental Illness. (2020, October 22). Mental health challenges and support: Latinx Communities. NAMI California. https://namica.org/mental-health-challenges-in-latino-communities/#:~:text=Common%20mental%20health%20conditions%20among,use%20of%20alcohol%20and%20drugs ↩︎
  16. Hispanic/Latino Behavioral Health Center of Excellence. (2024). Depression and Suicide Among Latine Youth: Addressing Cultural Stressors and Nurturing Cultural Strengths. Retrieved from https://hispaniclatinobehavioralhealth.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Suicide-Depression-Fact-Sheet-HLBHCoE-1.pdf ↩︎
  17. Ibid. ↩︎
  18. Ibid. ↩︎
  19. Alayza, M. (2024, October 16). Beyond the Celebrations: Tackling Mental Health in Hispanic Communities. Retrieved from https://laopinion.com/2024/10/16/beyond-the-celebrations-tackling-mental-health-in-hispanic-communities/ ↩︎
  20. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2023). Hispanic and Latino Americans. https://www.samhsa.gov/behavioral-health-equity/hispanic-latino  ↩︎
  21. https://www.psychiatry.org/File%20Library/Psychiatrists/Cultural-Competency/Mental-Health-Disparities/Mental-Health-Facts-for-Hispanic-Latino.pdf ↩︎
  22. Ura, A. (2023, June 22). Hispanics officially make up the biggest share of Texas’ population, New Census Numbers Show. The Texas Tribune. https://www.texastribune.org/2023/06/21/census-texas-hispanic-population-demographics/ ↩︎
  23. Alayza, M. (2024, October 16). Beyond the Celebrations: Tackling Mental Health in Hispanic Communities. Retrieved from https://laopinion.com/2024/10/16/beyond-the-celebrations-tackling-mental-health-in-hispanic-communities/ ↩︎
  24. Ibid. ↩︎
  25. Forcén, F. E., Flórez, M. C., Medina, R. B., Zambrano, J., Pérez, J. H., Rodríguez, A. M., & Santos, L. H. (2023). Deconstructing cultural aspects of mental health care in Hispanic/Latinx people. Psychiatric Annals, 53(3), 127–132. https://doi.org/10.3928/00485713-20230215-02 ↩︎
  26. Senor-Rogés, E., Orobitg, D. (2024). Depression and Suicide Among Latine Youth: Addressing Cultural Stressors and Nurturing Cultural Strengths. Retrieved from https://hispaniclatinobehavioralhealth.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Suicide-Depression-Fact-Sheet-HLBHCoE-1.pdf ↩︎

Updated on December 13th, 2024



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