Relationships between mental health treatment and medical utilization among low-income Mexican American patients: some preliminary findings

Abstract

The hypothesis that medical visits decrease as a function of mental health treatment was tested with a lower socioeconomic Mexican-American population. The number of medical and psychotherapy visits for all patients referred for mental health treatment during a specific period was obtained and analyzed in serveral ways to determine rate of medical visits as a function of psychiatric visits. Results indicated clear rejection of the hypothesis. Medical visits significantly increased rather than decreased. Factors which may account for these findings being opposite of previous studies are discussed and include previous poor medical service availability and socioeconomic differences in populations.